Wednesday, 5 February 2025

slab serif (12. 207)

The always diverting Present /&/ Correct directs our attention to a beautiful volume of collected specimens of chromatic wood type, borders and flourishes from 1874 published by the William H Page & Co, featuring page of page of samples in Gothic Tuscan and Antique, Bulletin Script, Arabesque and many bespoke fonts. Apprenticed to a printshop aged fourteen in Vermont, Page eventually became the foreman and branched out working as a staff writer for the New York Tribune, taking up engraving as a hobby and creating font families for printers JG Cooley. Page acquired his own foundry later, innovating the industry and having employed women during the male labour shortage caused by the US civil war, was singular in retaining his talent after the fight subsided and kept hiring females throughout the life of the company. More at the links above.