Classic font? Identifiable by the numbers? Suomi Slab Serif?

Question

Updated: New and improved photos. Thank you for your patience.

Dear FontID'ers,

Sorry for the not so clear photos; the seller likes to get styllish and the letters are still in the post. I will update with a better quality photo when possible.

Sadly, because not every future client will enjoy Art Nouveau or Art Deco fonts I decided to invest in some classic more standard designs. I ran this type through Identifont questionnaire and it gave only one result: Suomi Slab Serif. However you can see the numbers do not match 100% procent.

Does anyone know the name and the make of the letters? I don't know if it helps but I am located in the Netherlands and the letters are in transport from Belgium. As always, I am forever grateful! You are doing great work! My labels on my font cabinet have never been so correct. It is a joy to look at (and to use). Thank you.

Comments

Hey Carlijn,

Is this lead or brass type? No lowercase, right? A better view (straight up, including the sorts for R an W) might indeed be helpful.

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Hoi Florian, Give me a week or so. They should have arrived from Belgium by then. It is a brass type, no lowercase. Thank you.

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Hoi Florian, I have added clear photos. Hope it is not too late? They got stuck in the post. Thank you.

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Hey Carlijn,

I had a look, but unfortunately I don’t recognize it.

It shares some traits with the Century genre, albeit with boxier shapes, like Eames Century Modern, FF Hertz, or LD Moderne Slab, but also with more contrast, as in Hercules. (Apart from Century Expanded, these are all digital designs, and I understand you’re looking for an actual ID, not for an approximation.) The C with top and bottom serifs stands out. The numerals with the curvy details suggest an older date. I hope somebody else knows the answer to this.

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Hoi Florian, Thank you somuch for your tireless effort! So we got a real mystery on our hands? What do you recommend? Reposting my question? What for a bit?

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I don’t think you can update this post to bring it back to the homepage, for more eyeballs. So, yes, I would recommend to repost it, with the new images, and maybe with a link to this thread.

 

Most specimen books and other references about metal type are concerned with either foundry type or designs made for hot-metal typesetting machines like the Linotype or the Intertype. Brass type is used by bookbinders, as its harder than lead alloys and doesn’t wear off so quickly when used for stamping. It’s a world of its own, and pretty much separate. My understanding is that most designs produced as brass type were adaptations of printing typefaces, sometimes under pseudonyms (see this page: Javery/Porter/Jefferson = Cheltenham, Sterling/Sutton = Stymie, Gale Script = Murray Hill, etc.). But there certainly were some original designs which only exist as brass type, too.

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That sounds like a plan to me. Thank you for helping me out. If I/we/or somebody else discovers the answer I will let you know.

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Hoi Florian,

Sadly our plan didn't work. I have asked on a Dutch bookbinding and printing website called Drukwerk in de Marge and even on Instagram but with no results. I even looked through old specimen books online. I call it my litle obsession! I did get some clues.

• It is likely born in France. I have a 'ç' in my set. Also, the sighting lines (for gilders) indicate location.
• Someone did mention it could be within the Clarendon family. The R and Q do line up. Allthough this set is a bit boxier? I know in France they like to call Clarendon Egyptienne? Maybe they modified it a bit?
• It could be that the numbers are from a different set than the letters. So maybe they should be looked at them seperatly? I haven't seen a ball terminal on a 5 before.

PS. Please ignore the wonky H. The serifs on top are the same size as those on the bottoms. I choose too rough paper to foil print on. 

Answer 1

Thanks for the update, Carlijn!

Unfortunately I don’t have any additional insights to share. I’m not familiar with brass type. If you manage to find this design in a catalog of a brass type manufacturer, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it listed as an anonymous design with a generic name like “Egyptienne No. 1” or something like that.