Type specimen books are collections of typefaces, printing graphics, and design layout examples assembled by printing companies, graphic designers, and type foundries to demonstrate their printing capabilities. Kent State University Library has a robust collection of type specimen books, sometimes called font catalogs, dating back to the early 1800s. Multiple countries and languages are represented in the KSU holdings. The type specimen books at KSU are the products of small, family-run printers to once-dominant printing companies like Mergenthaler Linotype Company and Lanston Monotype Machine Company. The collection presented here contains a sampling of these holdings that are now considered public domain, or out of copyright.
Initially created as a method to sell the publisher’s services and abilities, these books now offer interesting looks at the past of printing, advertising, and book publication. The books might be straightforward pages of font sizes and types, or offer additional instruction on design, layout, and bookbinding. Others may include histories of the types or their own company. There are books in the collection that focus on only one family of type while others include an abundance of type specimens. This collection includes books found in the KSU Library and digitized by KSU community members, as well as books in the KSU collection with existing digital files found on other web sources.
Browse the Type Specimen Books: A KSU Public Domain Digital Collection Collections
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Caslon, old face, roman & italic : cast entirely from matrices produced from the original punches engraved in the early part of the eighteenth century in Chiswell street, London1924
63, 1 unnumbered page including frontispiece (port.), folded plate : illustrations ; 33 x 26 cm |
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On type faces; examples of the use of type for the printing of books1923From the book: "Examples of the use of type for the printing of books: with an introductory essay and notes by Stanley Morison. Published jointly by The Medici Society of 7 Grafton St., London, and The Fleuron, Westminster." |
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Making it easy to plan printing ; the series of mailing pieces issued during the year of 19221922
1 volume (unpaged) : illustrations ; 29 cm |
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A printed exhibit of Bodoni type1923An example of Bodoni typeface printing using excerpts of Henry Lewis Bullen's paper Giambattista Bodoni, Printer and Typefounder. Featuring a biography of Giambattista Bodoni written by Arthur K. Willyoung. |
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Desk book : Bureau of Printing. A revised manual of style, useful information, and specimens of type used by the Bureau of Printing, Government of the Philippine Islands1910293 pages, color plates : illustrations ; 27 cm Note- Title vignette in colors and gold Prepared under the direction of John S. Leech, director of printing. edition and comp. by a committee of employees consisting of S.H. Musick, W.R. Johns, J.F. McLennan |
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A specimen of printing letter / designed by John Baskerville about the year MDCCLVII1926A demonstration of the Baskerville type in print, using Edmund Fry's Pantographia for the printing examples. |
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Die Schriftgiessereien in Königsberg unter Friedrich dem Grossen : 1740 bis 1766; nach archivalischen Quellen dargestellt1926
xi, 69 pages : plates, tables, facsimiles ; 28 cm |
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Specimen of types in general use at the Condé Nast press1923With a foreword on types and type specimens by Douglas C. McMurtrie
12 pages, 182 leaves ; 24 cm |
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The Colish book of typesFrom the book: "Many years of practical knowledge of typography were the inspiration of this type book. While the purpose of these pages is to acquaint our clients with the various styles of type we carry, the main object is to show the exact adaptability of the different faces for their proper use. The arrangement of these type pages also helps to judge, by comparison, the sizes and color value of each series. This book will aid many of our patrons to visualize beforehand what effects they desire-·what impression they want to create; in what atmosphere they wish to envelop their words -and leave to us the production of these ideas in type. Others can suggest the series they prefer, or indicate exactly what shall be done. In every case, it is our practice- now our precious repute- to satisfy with results. By the use of the loose-leaf method, this book will always be kept up to date, as we propose to supply you with additional pages of all new types which we may add in the future." |
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