HiH Retrofonts of Naugatuck, Connecticut
Serving six continents from here in the Valley
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
The reference books listed below are the ones to which we most frequently refer. Each of these books has something unique to offer. Together they can form the core of a useful typographic library. In the Amazon section, each book's reference graphic is linked to Amazon.com. Clicking on the graphic will take you directly to the page on the Amazon website describing the specific reference book. No specimen books are listed because the most important are far beyond anything most people can afford, running into the thousands of dollars. It is hoped that the holders of major historical libraries, such as Columbia University in NYC and St. Bride's in London, will gradually digitize the most significant and post them on their websites. Donatiations might encourage them — it would be an expensive and time-consuming process. List is alphabetical by author. The books in the bottom section are out-of-print and not available from Amazon. They can still be found, but the prices are rising. If you have a serious interest in the subjects they cover, take a deep breath and get them.
Links to Amazon Pages for Recommended Reference Books
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——Annenberg, TYPE FOUNDRIES OF AMERICA AND THEIR CATALOGS (Oak Knoll Press, New Castle, Deleware, 1994) ISBN 188471806X The purpose of this book, and those like it, is to capture history metal type before it is too late. These are labors of love and we are indebted to those who made effort because this history belongs to all of us. |
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——Bain & Shaw, BLACKLETTER: TYPE AND NATIONAL IDENTITY. (Princeton Architectural Press, NYC 1998) ISBN 1568981252. Useful contribution to understanding of blackletter, countering comments of unreadability. Fraktur, especially, can be difficult when you are not used to it, but it well work if you are — better with German than English. Chapter on what editors term “German Hybrid Typefaces’: Behrens, Eckmann, Künstler, etc. |
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——Jasper, Berry & Johnson, ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF TYPEFACES, 4th Edition (Cassell & Co., London 2001); ISBN 1841881392 (pbk)Note: earlier editions are also worth acquiring on used book market. |
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——Bringhurst, THE ELEMENTS OF TYPOGRAPHIC STYLE (Hartley & Marks, Vancouver [near where author lives] 2004. ISBN 0881792063 (pbk). Incomparable must-have book on disciplined page layout and typography with a strong historical perspective. Bringhurst is a major critic of parochial typography. |
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—Petzendorfer, TREASURY OF AUTHENTIC ART NOUVEAU ALPHABETS, DECORATIVE INITIALS, MONOGRAMS, FRAMES AND ORNAMENTS (Dover Publications, New York 1984); originally published by Julius Hoffmann of Stuttgart in 1903 as SCHRIFTENATLAS NEUE FOLGE: EINE SAMMLUNG VON ALPHABETEN INITIALEN UND MONOGRAMMEN ZUSAMMENGESTELLT VON HOFRAT L. PETZENDORFER. ISBN 0486246531 (pbk). |
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——Solo, THE SOLOTYPE CATALOG OF 4,147 DISPLAY TYPEFACES (Dover Publications, New York 1992); ISBN 0486271692 (pbk). As title indicates, book was intended as a commercial catalog and not a historical record. Because of practice of renaming typefaces to support that purpose and the lack of information on where the typefaces were collected, the book is less useful than it might have been. It would be wonderful if an accompanying database was compiled. Many faces simply can't be found elsewhere. |
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——Gradl, AUTHENTIC ART NOUVEAU STAINED GLASS DESIGNS, (Dover Publications, New York 1992); ISBN 0486243621 (pbk). Includes designs by Max Gradl, as well as others. Some really wonderful designs, well reproduced. |
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——The University of Chicago Press, THE CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE, 14th Edition (The University of Chicago Press, Chicago & London 1993)ISBN 0226103897. Probably the best reference source for the practical details of applied typography. Note: the new 15th edition is now available. |
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Out-of-Print Reference Books, Not Available at Amazon
——McGrew, AMERICAN METAL TYPEFACES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, 2nd Edition (Oak Knoll Books, New Castle, Delaware 1993); ISBN 0938768395 (pbk). Includes typefaces from 19th century that continued to be cast in the 20th century, like Pekin. Price $49.95 ——Gray, NINETEENTH CENTURY ORNAMENTED TYPEFACES (University of California Press, Berkeley & LA 1976) ISBN 0520030745 Out of print. Originally published by Oxford University Press in 1938, but substantially revised by Gray for UC edition. This major work draws upon the substantial typographical reference collection at St. Bride's in London. A large number of specimen sheets were photographed for this edition. Find it used and buy it. Forget my old estimate. The only listing is was able to find today started at $100 and went up. Check out abebooks |
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