No. 9 Catalog 25-A, TYPE: Selective Specimens of Preferred Materials for Modern Typography
Barnhart Brothers & Spindler of Chicago was one of the giant type foundries in the early 20th C., and this book is their 1925 Catalog of specimens. Like its rival, ATF (American Type Foundry), the catalog was a big event and thousands of hours were invested in the design & printing. The BB&S book has a special feel to it– short of the gargantuan force of the ATF one, but with a more bookish feeling to the binding and organization. Every single page is beautifully laid-out, with appropriate papers for the specimens and lively texts to show off their use. The second half of the book showcases all the ornaments, cuts & borders that their in-house designers created, in varying colors and arrangements & with sample usages. It’s a feast for the eyes. “Types that Talk” is one of their mottoes. Their pitch for Parsons typeface says “puts the HIGH in Ohio, and GO in Chicago.” …emphasizing the tall ascenders & long descenders perfectly. This catalog is a wide-open window into early 20th C. print culture, language, design, commerce & zeitgeist.
