The Height of Chromatic Type
These images are from a rare type specimen housed in Columbia University’s Butler Library.
Printed in 1874 by William H. Page & Co. The Specimens of Chromatic Wood Type, Borders, Etc. contains over 100 pages of the most colourful, eye-popping type. These excellent photos are by Becca Hirsbrunner.
“Chromatic” typefaces are those designed to be printed in multiple colours. The effects are achieved by stacking two or more corresponding type styles on top of one another (with careful alignment) and applying different colours to each style. Individual styles have cut away areas to reveal or overlap the colour of the style beneath to create a mixed colour.
This specimen book shown was used to sell the woodtype to printers. The type is said to have cost around 25 cents per letter, per colour layer, so it was certainly not cheap.
From the introduction to Specimens of Chromatic Wood Type, 1874:
To Color Printers
We have the pleasure of laying before you a Specimen Book of Chromatic Wood Type, and would say it is now eighteen years since we began Type making. Progress in the Art can be seen by comparing the present volume, with Specimens of that date. There were at that time five or six other manufacturers in the country. Now we manufacture seven-eights of all the Wood Type made, and are now able to show by itself a Book of Chromatic Type and Borders that is not excelled in the world. It has taken years of time to prepare and perfect it. The designs with two or three exceptions are entirely original with us. The demand for Chromatic Type is quite limited, therefore we cannot apply this book free, only to our Agents.
Most Respectfully Yours,
Wm. H. Page & Co.
Modern Chromatics
Today there are many modern versions of chromatic type, including Terrance Weinzierl’s award winning Pizza Press face and my own designs Rig Shaded and Brim Narrow.
More information on this specimen at The Public Domain Review and BibliOdyssey.