font_designer: Nick Curtis

The Boston Type Foundry called the pattern for this elegant typeface “Moslem,” suggesting the exotic appeal of faraway lands. The face succeeds in fulfilling its promise, with remarkably little extraneous fussiness. The font’s name...

The pattern for this font was found in the 1906 specimen book for the Keystone Type Foundry under the name Ancient Gothic, which is a pretty accurate description of the particular appeal of this...

An entry in the Palmer and Rey 1884 specimen book named, somewhat prosaically, Geometric Gothic provided the inspiration for this rectilinear romp through the alphabet. As apt as it is for a period piece...

Another entry in the trusty old “Schriftatlas” named Phoenix—original source and designer unknown—provided the inspiration for this bouncy bit of alphabetical tomfoolery. Its animated typeforms, definitely retro chic, will put some bounce in the…

Cross the irrepressible Samuel Welo with a bit of found matchbook art and voilà! You have this retro charmer, proudly found on the kind of neon signs that offered an invitation to dine and...

This playful Art Deco classic was inspired by one of many posters produced by the WPA by anonymous artists during the 1930s. An inline version has been added to spice up the visual interest...

The 1884 specimen book of San Francisco Palmer and Rey Type Foundry featured this elegant design under the name Oxford. The decorative caps, combined with the centered small caps, have a timeless appeal. Both...

Here is a faithful rendering of Albert Auspurg’s a 1927 expressionistic masterpiece, Messe Grotesk Licht. Its raw power and compact letterforms make for commanding and engaging headlines. Both versions of the font include complete...