How old is 'old'? Are we talking 1930's? Pre-digital? Pre-film type? Can you give us some placement in time for the sample?

from bbc.co.uk

Made in 1984, the production was a daring mixture of live action and animation, and included a large number of complicated visual effects. Unusually, a lot of them still look impressive today.

I think it could be the old Headliners version called neo-Belwe. The one at MyFonts is the Letraset version from the late '70s, but it's not the only attempt to revive the 1926 original. Here's a scan from a Headliners one-line specimen book:



I've condensed the B weight to approximate the title sample. The details seem to match where they don't in the Letraset version. Notice, for example, the bracket in the bottom counter of the B and the treatment of the ascender on the lowercase l. The lowercase e may be tilted clockwise slightly.

Unfortunately, this is the only sample of it I have. Headliners never showed complete alphabets in their samples.

Incidently, Joe Treacy picked up the Headliners library in the early days of the digital font era and currently sells some of it. I wonder if he would be able to confirm this.

I've written to Joe a few times in the past and he has helped by providing samples of some of his fonts for my Guides. I can write and see what he can add on this.

Im just glad Ive managed to provide some sort of challenge (rather than the usual whats this font?... oh its comic sans)

cheers Guys

Hello, all -

Good eye, Mark! You're right; it was originally created using Headliners' neo-Belwe B weight. The actual typeface is sharper than this sample, by the way. Here's where the confusion sets in: The tail of g is actually cut and pasted from a different Headliners typeface. My guess, without actually trying it, is Headliners' neo-French Oldstyle (for which there was only one weight). The D looks like it may have not come from Headliners' neo-Belwe, but instead from another Headliners series called neo-Pageantry. Very similar D. I looked in a number of specimen books before replying, and have found no other typefaces that do this combination of things, all in one design.

To Jess Gorick: We have not yet digitized these faces, but if you just need the letters as shown above, we can do that for you rapidly.

Feel free to e-mail me directly if you are interested.

Thanks.

Joe

Also, it was condensed, as Mark intimates.

Roughly speaking, to about 78% of its normal width, based on the sample originally shown.

Joe

Joseph, your right on the money! as the original jpg I posted is a digitised still from a 14:9 aspect ratio, that I forgot to re-stretch from 4:3

so long story short, it was about 78%.
Unfortunately the bbc have decided their original font isn't 'magical' enough so Ive got to change direction.

thanks for all your help

Jess

You're very welcome.

Joe

That's Belwe, innit?

No it's not.

Well Chalkboard does make our life a teensy wee
bit harder nowadays...