Festina lente

Graphical study of an early printer's mark and the ligatures of the first ever italic typeface by Francesco Griffo / Aldus Manutius (Aldine Press, 1509). Upon the edition:

C. Crispi Sallusti De Coniuratione Catilinae. Eiusdem De Bello Iugurthino.
Title: C. Crispi Sallusti De Coniuratione Catilinae. Eiusdem De Bello Iugurthino.
Author: Gaius Sallustius Crispus
Printer: Aldus Manutius
Place of Printing: Venice
Date of Printing: 1509

The emblem of the dolphin and anchor was used to illustrate the proverb Festina lente a long before Aldus Manutius, by the first Roman Emperor Augustus.

Some italic ligatures from Aldine octavos:

The Aldine italic typeface was based on the Humanist cursive script first developed in the 1420s by Niccolò de' Niccoli.

Unlike the italic type of today, the capital letters were upright roman capitals which were shorter than the ascending lower-case italic letters and used about 65 tied letters (ligatures). The slanting italic capitals was first introduced by printers in Lyon and is now used in nearly all italic fonts.

This Aldine italic became the model for most italic types. It was very popular in its own day and was widely (and inaccurately) imitated. The Venetian Senate gave Aldus exclusive right to its use, a patent confirmed by three successive Popes, but it was widely counterfeited. The Italians called the character Aldino, while others called it Italic.

Pencil sketches for book cover, 'Interesting fonts'

november 2012 — august 2013

I know, Cyrillic is all Greek to you, so a little tutorial for those who care:
    ИНТЕРЕСНЫЕ ШРИФТЫ
    INTERESNYE ShRIFTY
not
    UHTEPECHb1E IIIIIIIIII

Catspaws display font sketch, 2008

The All-Seeing Pizza (The Pizza of Providence)