Released by Barnhart
Brothers & Spindler in 1896–98 as Fifteenth
Century, or XV Century (XIV
Century in one early annoncement), in roman and italic.
[McGrew 1993] Later renamed Caslon
Antique, though there is no apparent connection to any
Caslon types. Reissued “for a limited time” by ATF
in 1961 [Advertising
Age, May 1961].
“Although they aren’t really representative of types of that
time, being a poor copy of a crude early typeface cut about 1475 in
Venice, they have become popular for the simulation of supposedly
quaint American types of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Disregarding the usual practice of increasing the proportionate
width of a typeface as the size decreases, Caslon Antique maintains
uniform proportions in all sizes, and thus appears narrow and
cramped in small sizes.” [McGrew 1993]
The various More…
Released by Barnhart Brothers & Spindler in 1896–98 as Fifteenth Century, or XV Century (XIV Century in one early annoncement), in roman and italic. [McGrew 1993] Later renamed Caslon Antique, though there is no apparent connection to any Caslon types. Reissued “for a limited time” by ATF in 1961 [Advertising Age, May 1961].
“Although they aren’t really representative of types of that time, being a poor copy of a crude early typeface cut about 1475 in Venice, they have become popular for the simulation of supposedly quaint American types of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Disregarding the usual practice of increasing the proportionate width of a typeface as the size decreases, Caslon Antique maintains uniform proportions in all sizes, and thus appears narrow and cramped in small sizes.” [McGrew 1993]
The various digital interpretations of Caslon Antique vary widely, probably because they used different sizes as their sources, but also because some versions appear to smooth out a few of the original’s rough contours. GroupType’s includes the italic.
