Memphis (typeface)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Memphis
CategorySlab serif
Designer(s)Rudolf Wolf
FoundryStempel Type Foundry
Date created1929
10pt Memphis in metal type.

Memphis is a

slab-serif typeface designed by Rudolf Wolf and released in 1929 by the Stempel Type Foundry.[1]

Memphis is a "geometric" slab serif, reflecting the style of German geometric sans-serifs (in particular Futura) which had attracted considerable attention, and adapting the design to the slab serif structure.[2] Its structure is strictly monoline, with a "single-storey" 'a' similar to blackletter or handwriting, in an almost-perfect circle. It was released in several weights and with alternative characters such as swashes, which digitisations have mostly not included.[3][4]

Memphis has an Egyptian name, in reference to the fact that early slab serifs were often called "Egyptians" as an exoticism by nineteenth-century typefounders.[5][a]

Memphis and other similar designs were popular in printing during the

Neutraface Slab and Archer.[9][10][11] Memphis itself has been released digitally by Linotype, who licensed it from Stempel, and by Bitstream in a release including condensed weights under the name "Geometric Slabserif 703".[12][13]

Notes

  1. ^ Although, confusingly, the term was first used to refer to sans-serifs, and the earliest slab-serifs were often called "Antiques".[6][7]

References

  1. ^ "Font Designer: Dr. Robert Wolf". Linotype. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  2. ^ Tam, Keith. "The revival of slab-serif typefaces in the 20th century" (PDF). University of Reading (MA thesis). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Memphis". Fonts in Use. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  4. ^ See, for instance, this specimen, which has one Q in the 6 and 8-point sizes and another in 10pt.
  5. ^ Frere-Jones, Tobias. "Scrambled Eggs & Serifs". Frere-Jones Type. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  6. ^ James Mosley, The Nymph and the Grot: the revival of the sanserif letter, London: Friends of the St Bride Printing Library, 1999
  7. ^ Mosley, James (January 6, 2007), The Nymph and the Grot, an update, archived from the original on June 10, 2014, retrieved June 10, 2014
  8. ^ Jonathan Hoefler; Tobias Frere-Jones. "Sentinel: historical background". Hoefler & Frere-Jones. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  9. ^ Schwartz, Christian. "Neutraface Slab". www.christianschwartz.com. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  10. ^ "Neutraface Slab". House Industries. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  11. ^ Earls, David John. "Archer". Typographica. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  12. ^ "Memphis Font | Webfont & Desktop | MyFonts". www.myfonts.com. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
  13. ^ "Geometric Slabserif 703". MyFonts. Archived from the original on Dec 9, 2017.

External links

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