1850s typeface with contemporary update

[Member AV…]

hello, new here, and first question.

i'm working on a project that celebrates a united states institution founded around 1850, and is celebrating a sort of re-opening with new activity.  i've spent most of the day looking for 2 typefaces, 1 that harkens to the founding, and 1 that is recent. it's tough fulfilling those requirements with fonts that look good together.  

but i've just had a thought that i'm not having luck researching, what if there is a font that dates back to the 1850s and has received a more recent design update?  that way the two would have a stylistic connection while each still carries its own thematic associations.  i'm thinking for example, baskerville and mrs eaves, though the original is 100 years too old, the update is sadly too common (not to mention dated, having peaked in popularity around 2003), and i'd prefer a US original rather than a european.  i've had little luck researching this, though the quest has led me to this forum, and i thought i'd ask.

so, to reiterate the basic parameters: i'm more interested in a text font than a display font. it should be from the united states if possible. it would have to have been in somewhat common use in 1850.  it has had a modern update, and the closer to 2015 the better. 

will check back tomorrow for any replies.  thank you.

[Ralf Herrmann]

For 19th century American/English publications I think of fonts such as De Vinne/Century and of course the famous slab serifs like Clarendon. 
For modern versions, you could also check out Harriet or Sentinel. 

 

download at MyFonts

 

download at MyFonts

But there are of course many other choices as well. That’s just one direction you could go. 

[Member AV…]

thanks ralf.  i think this is the right track too.  i thought of century (i hardly ever *not* think of century, it's a go-to for me; graceful and open and very readable), but it's from the 1890s, as is de vinne.  however, looking up their histories to verify the dates right now led me to other scotch romans, and while they don't quite span the range i'm hoping for, it's getting a bit closer.  

my current thinking is somewhere near monotype scotch roman itself.  i'm also tempted by scotch FB.  and, well, you did present a great option that doesn't hit my parameters on the nose but that might still work with harriet.

thanks again.