Modern Encyclopedia of Typefaces 1960-90, Lawrence W. Wallis, 1990

Modern Encyclopedia of Typefaces, 1960-90, by Lawrence W. Wallis is one of the rare testimonies of the 1960s-1980s in type design. Indeed, the period saw the end of analogical type and the beginning of digital type design: this passing between technologies caused a significative loss of the typefaces created at this time, as all of them didn’t make it through the change. For this reason, this book is by default a non exhaustive research, that nevertheless gives a faithful glimpse into the forgotten designs of the second half of the XXth century.

The interesting thing with the selection presented in Modern Encyclopedia of Typefaces 1960-90, is that we find early typefaces of type design superstars, such as Gerhard Unger — or more confidential designs by Aldo Novarese. Whereas renown figures of lead type saw their creations survive all techniques due to their best-seller quality, these designs often made for photocomposition and depending on specific machines died with their period. As a matter of fact, this book is in a way a graveyard of digital type design.

One of the few survivors of this period featured in the book is Pro Forma by Petr Van Blokland. First produced by Pure Electronics for the setting of forms, the typeface was renewed by the designer in digital format at Font Bureau — Van Blokland’s foundry that is replaced today by Type Network. As a part of a type design library, Modern Encyclopedia of Typefaces 1960-90 helps restore genealogies of type and enlighten this historical context of creation.

Documents: Biblioteca Produzione