Collective entry for the various versions of Janson
(see also Janson & Kis) by Stempel, (German)
Linotype, and Mergenthaler Linotype.
With the takeover of Drugulin in 1919, Stempel acquired historic
matrices that were labeled “Holländische Antiqua” (Dutch Roman) and
partly date from the 17th century [Zapf: Gedanken und
Probleme beim Entwurf von Werkschriften], and cast type from
them as Original-Janson-Antiqua with
Original-Janson-Kursiv. In 1951, Hermann Zapf revised
the design for the adoption for the Linotype.
Linotype-Janson-Antiqua (with small caps) and -Kursiv
were released in 1952. This design was readopted by Stempel for
casting a foundry version. [Weichselbaumer] A late-1950s Stempel
specimen shows 12 sizes (8–48 pt) of the foundry version, with
considerable differences across them, and 4 sizes (6–10 pt) of the
Linotype version.
“The [Mergenthaler] Linotype version was done in 1932 under the
direction of C. H. Griffith, based on the 14-point size of about
1660.” [McGrew 1993] … “while following a Voskens
italic better suited to the Linotype than the Kis italics. George
Ostrochulski adapted the face for photocomposition at Mergenthaler,
returning to the original italics.” — [Linotype/MyFonts]
Linotype’s More…
Collective entry for the various versions of Janson (see also Janson & Kis) by Stempel, (German) Linotype, and Mergenthaler Linotype.
With the takeover of Drugulin in 1919, Stempel acquired historic matrices that were labeled “Holländische Antiqua” (Dutch Roman) and partly date from the 17th century [Zapf: Gedanken und Probleme beim Entwurf von Werkschriften], and cast type from them as Original-Janson-Antiqua with Original-Janson-Kursiv. In 1951, Hermann Zapf revised the design for the adoption for the Linotype. Linotype-Janson-Antiqua (with small caps) and -Kursiv were released in 1952. This design was readopted by Stempel for casting a foundry version. [Weichselbaumer] A late-1950s Stempel specimen shows 12 sizes (8–48 pt) of the foundry version, with considerable differences across them, and 4 sizes (6–10 pt) of the Linotype version.
“The [Mergenthaler] Linotype version was done in 1932 under the direction of C. H. Griffith, based on the 14-point size of about 1660.” [McGrew 1993] … “while following a Voskens italic better suited to the Linotype than the Kis italics. George Ostrochulski adapted the face for photocomposition at Mergenthaler, returning to the original italics.” — [Linotype/MyFonts]
Linotype’s digital version known as Janson Text was made under the direction of Horst Heiderhoff in 1985 [Linotype] in consultation with Adrian Frutiger and is based on Stempel’s original 14-point hand-cast types of 1919 [Wallis 1990]. It spans two weights plus italics. Only the Roman has small caps. Its Latin glyphs are also included in the Arabic fonts Hassan and Karim.
