Which is the best version of Walbaum?

[darkhorsemagazine]

Hello everyone, I'm new here. I have the Monotype Walbaum but find it very thin and light for print purposes, so am in the market for one of two other versions: the Berthold Walbaum Book, or the Storm Foundry Walbaum Pro from 2010. Does anyone here have any experience of these, or recommendations either way? It's for an extended print project. Any help appreciated!

[George Thomas]

Why not examine previously printed specimens of each and decide based on that? Or perhaps buy a single font of each and test them on your own press.

[darkhorsemagazine]

Many thanks! The Berthold only allows you to purchase the entire typeface, as far as I can see. I can buy a single font of the Storm Foundry version, but that wd then mean if I decided to buy the entire typeface I'd be paying for that font twice. (Their rates for the entire typeface are much cheaper, per font, than if you buy them singly.) I was just wondering if anyone here had any recommendations or experience with either version.

[Ralf Herrmann]

In my opinion the text styles of the Storm version are fantastic! The Berthold versions (converted from phototypesetting) never felt right as body copy fonts to me and I consider the Monotype version a different and somewhat weird typeface, which has little to do with the original lead design of Justus Erich Walbaum. 

 

[oobimichael]

Here is a simple comparison of:

1. Walbaum MT (Monotype)

2. Walbaum 10 (Storm)

3. Walbaum Buch BQ (Berthold)

and to add two of my favorites:

4. Rabenau (Linotype)

5. Prillwitz Book Pro (preusstype)

 

Obviously, the issue is not only your overall preference of design and "voice", but also of the technical opentype features that you might need (small caps, super/subscripts, etc.)...

Walbaums.pdf

[darkhorsemagazine]

This is really fantastically helpful! Many thanks to you both—I was never very happy with the Monotype Walbaum in its digital cut. Am tilting towards the Storm Walbaum at the minute—I bought their version of Baskerville recently which I think is excellent—but will have a closer look at the other Walbaum versions in the pdf tomorrow. Again, my thanks to both of you. 8—) 

[Melchior]

The Berthold version looks best to my eye.

[Chris Lozos]

I have the Berthold version.  It looks better at larger sizes.  Now seeing the Storm, it is probably better at smaller sizes.