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Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows why on many 19th century type specimen prints they are often produced in black and red ink. Often they are black typefaces with a red border or decorative elements and sometimes both black and red typefaces. Just wondering if there is a reason for this use of colors. Thanks in advance.
2 Dec 2010 — 3:12pm
Red is easy to manufacture (which is why barns, being very large, are red) and it looks attractive and powerful. Black-White-Red is the color triumvirate. Black is the queen.
hhp
3 Dec 2010 — 9:08am
There is a tradition of red being the second colour added to a print job going all the way back to Egyptian scribes. The choice is a sign of classical taste.