First U.S. hardcover edition published in 1986 by
David R. Godine, Publisher

Post Office Box 450
Jaffrey, New Hampshire 0345z

WWW.GODINE.COM

First published in the U.K. in 1986 by

the Gordon Fraser Gallery Ltd., London and Bedford

Copyright © 19 8 6 by Walter Tracy

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced

in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the

case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS С ATA LO G I N G-I N-PU В LI С ATI О N DATA

Tracy, Walter.

Letters of credit.

1. Type and type-founding—History—20th century
z. Type and type-founding. I. Title
ZZ50.AZT73 1986 686.z'z4 86-9767
ISBN 1-5679Z-Z40-6

Typeset in Monophoto Sabon by August Filmsetting, Haydock, St. Helens

Origination by The Westerham Press Ltd. Westerham, Kent

Designed by Peter Guy

First softcover printing, Z003
Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Preface and acknowledgements

PART I

Aspects of type design

1 The vocabulary of type

13

2 Type measure

21

3 Types for study

26

4 Legibility and readability

30

5 The making of type

32.

6 Proportion

48

7 The forms of letters

S6

8 Secondary types: italic, bold face

61

9 Numerals

67

10 Character spacing

70

n The slab-serif

80

12 The sans-serif

84

PARTII

Some designers and their types

13 The types of Jan van Krimpen 101

14 Some types by Frederic Goudy 121

15 Three types by Rudolf Koch 153

16 The types of W. A. Dwiggins 174

17 Stanley Morison's Times Roman 194

Prospects 213

List of works consulted 215

Index

220