This entry is for a set of (unicase) initials, cut by Victor Hammer in a 28 pt size and released by
Klingspor in the 1950s to accompany American Uncial a.k.a. Neue
Hammer-Unziale, and later adaptations thereof. A Stempel
specimen shows A–Z, incl. an ‘i’ with square dot and a second
longer and undotted form, plus an ampersand. “Those large initials
were essentially ornaments and were not seen by Hammer as type to
use for setting continuous texts.” [Reynolds]
The initials were adopted by Letraset for dry transfer lettering
as American Uncial. This version replaces the original
‘G’ initial with the descending lowercase form from the text face,
and also adds its angled ‘i’ More…
This entry is for a set of (unicase) initials, cut by Victor Hammer in a 28 pt size and released by Klingspor in the 1950s to accompany American Uncial a.k.a. Neue Hammer-Unziale, and later adaptations thereof. A Stempel specimen shows A–Z, incl. an ‘i’ with square dot and a second longer and undotted form, plus an ampersand. “Those large initials were essentially ornaments and were not seen by Hammer as type to use for setting continuous texts.” [Reynolds]
The initials were adopted by Letraset for dry transfer lettering as American Uncial. This version replaces the original ‘G’ initial with the descending lowercase form from the text face, and also adds its angled ‘i’ dot, descending ‘q’ (as alternate), as well as numerals (incl. the top-heavy ‘8’). [1976 catalog]
Facsimile Fonts’ photo version has several alternates (dotless i, descending ‘qrxz’, long-tailed ‘Q’) and adds numerals (bottom-heavy ‘8’). [Berthold E1, 1974] VGC and Typeshop carried a similar version, but with non-descending numerals. [1973 catalogs] Lettergraphics’ version is largely faithful, except for the angled ‘i’ dot. [1976 catalog] Mecanorma’s has a short undotted ‘i’, the descending ‘q’, and an inauthentic ampersand. [1980 catalog]
American Uncial D (URW, before 1993) appears to be based on the Letraset adaptation, with descending ‘G’. It adds various variants, incl. (reversed) Initials, Outline, Relief, Rounded, Contour and Shadow styles. The plain style is also sold by Elsner+Flake and Linotype as American Uncial.
Neue Hammer Unziale II (Linotype, 1988) pairs the initials in the lowercase with the capitals of the text version in the uppercase.