English Moderns?

Posted by Will Dendis in

4 Jul 2012 — 8:51pm

I'm looking for a good serif for a project with a late 19th century look to it (Alternate Gothic and Clarendon bold are also involved).

I think I'd like to use something like Brunel (http://www.christianschwartz.com/brunel.shtml) or Benton Modern Display (http://www.fontbureau.com/fonts/BentonModernDisplay/).

The former seems to be in limited release and the latter could work but I'd like to know what other similar fonts are out there. I tried to search for information on "English Modern" (Which is what the designer says Brunel is) but I can't find anything.

I know the moderns like Bodoni, Century and Modern No. 20 but I don't think they're right for this.

What do you think?

riccard0
5 Jul 2012 — 12:41am

What about some Scotch Modern?
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/shinn/scotch-modern/

Will Dendis
5 Jul 2012 — 6:56am

Scotch Modern is cool but I was looking for something with a bolder variant.

Like the "Eric Laithwaite" or "Webster" in this Brunel spec

http://www.christianschwartz.com/fontimg/brunel_spec.gif

Nick Shinn
5 Jul 2012 — 10:07am

Given Brunel’s background (the great man’s family were immigrants from France, as the name would suggest), Ambroise came to mind.

And of course, James Montalbano’s didone, the Yo’s.

But really, doesn’t every foundry worth its salt publish a didone?

eliason
5 Jul 2012 — 10:19am

How about Ingeborg?

Indra Kupferschmid
5 Jul 2012 — 12:20pm

How about Harriet? http://www.theharrietseries.com/

Indra Kupferschmid
5 Jul 2012 — 12:27pm

Oh and Eames Century Modern http://www.houseind.com/fonts/eames/fontspecimens

Will Dendis
5 Jul 2012 — 1:41pm

Digging the Yo's - but no italic?

Ingeborg is great too - I didn't even think of that one.

Nick - I'm sure you are correct, I just don't know where to look! I was sure there were more cool Didone designs out there with a similarity to Brunel (or even Austin in its bolder variants). I'm surprised I can't find any old ones aside from Bodoni and Didot. Surely there were many, many more kicking around at the end of the 19th century. I guess the revivals are relatively recent?

Nick Shinn
5 Jul 2012 — 1:52pm

I just don't know where to look!

http://www.amazon.ca/Type-Navigator-Independent-Foundries-Handbook/dp/38...

Edited (“curated”?) by the redoubtable Jan Middendorp.

.00
7 Jul 2012 — 6:25pm