Stone carving project at risk

[Jon]

Hi. My friend is a stone carver and is carving some lettering using the typeface attached. The trouble is she can’t find or identify the typeface, neither can she recall the book she found these pages in. Without it she won’t be able to complete the carving. It looks mildly italic and may be German because of the accents over some letters?

I’m hoping someone will be able to help. Thanks 

Jon

 

[Kevin Thompson]

It doesn’t appear to be a typeface used for printing. From the wide format of the book (the photocopies seem to represent two halves of a single page), the size of the letters and the way they are presented, I’m guessing this is a hand-drawn alphabet by a calligrapher/stone carver.

A reverse Google image search using the individual halves and a composite of the whole page turned up nothing.

 

[Jon]

Many thanks Kevin. You’re probably right but I’m still hoping someone will recognise the book from which these copies were taken. 

Jon 

[Gecko]

The type reminds me of Corvallis Sans by Philip Bouwsma or Oxford, neither are identical but have a similar feel. Maybe check out other type designed by Bouwsma. Certainly the type has a very beautiful lilt to it. Hope you find it.

[Jon]

Thanks Gecko. I’ll check them out. 

[Gecko]

http://www.identifont.com/show?5KL+1

Typefaces designed by Philip Bouwsma

[Jon]

I see what you mean about the similarities though they’re clearly not the right ones. Thanks for your help. 

[Ralf Herrmann]

I had a look through my German lettering books and couldn’t find it. Frankly, I believe the best option is that she retraces her steps. She might not remember the exact book, but she probably knows for example at which library she made copies and then she can narrow it down at this place. Since there are even page numbers on the copies, finding the book from a stack of options should be fast. 

Most people in this forum are typography/font experts, not stone carving experts. So the chance that someone here recognizes the specific book (supposedly) from the second category is probably not that high. 

[Florian H.]

“Alphabete für Werbung und Gebrauchsgrafik” by Eugen Nerdinger and Lisa Beck has such a wide format, and the presentation (light on dark) is similar, too. Can’t check right now, but will do soon. Unless Ralf already checked this book and can rule it out?

[Ralf Herrmann]

4 hours ago, Florian H. said:

Unless Ralf already checked this book and can rule it out?

I don’t have that. It’s not in Nerdinger’s Buchstabenbuch. I checked that. 

[Jon]

Thanks Ralf and Florian. I’ll check that one out too. 

[Jon]

I don't have this book either.

If anyone has a copy of “Alphabete für Werbung und Gebrauchsgrafik” by Eugen Nerdinger and Lisa Beck, I would be most grateful if you would check to see if this typeface is in it. Many thanks.

Jon

[Kevin Thompson]

Harvard, Yale, and Cornell have the German version in their libraries. It’s also in university libraries in Athens, GA; Urbana, IL; and Columbia, MO.

I don’t live near any of them.

Various copies are for sale on Amazon; this listing from the UK is the cheapest and includes images that lead me to believe we have the correct book.

 

[Jon]

Thanks so much Kevin. It may well be the book but I doubt my friend would risk spending that much money unless she was sure it was the correct book. It’s worth her checking uk libraries for it and I’ll show her the Amazon advert to see if it jogs her memory. 

Jon

[Kevin Thompson]

UK library locations for the German version.

English version.

[Florian H.]

I was able to check today and can confirm that this model is indeed included in “Alphabete für Werbung und Gebrauchsgrafik”. Its reference name in the table of contents is “Santiago” (capitals) or “Addis Abeba” (mixed case). There are capitals, minuscules (with ligatures), numerals, some punctuation marks, and even seven exemplary swash caps. I made quick snapshots of the six pages. If this isn’t good enough for your purposes, I can offer to make scans of the required pages, but I can’t promise I’ll find time for that very soon.

[Jon]

Thank you so much Florian. A masterful bit of detective work. 

Jon