Frederic Goudy
Encyclopedia
Frederic W. Goudy was a prolific American type designer whose typefaces include Copperplate Gothic
, Kennerley, and Goudy Old Style. He also designed, in 1938, University of California Oldstyle, for the sole proprietary use of the University of California Press
. The Lanston Monotype Company
released a version of this typeface as Californian for wider distribution in 1956, while ITC
created a digital version, called ITC Berkeley, in 1983.
founded the Village Press in Park Ridge, Illinois. This venture was modeled on the Arts and Crafts movement
ideals of William Morris
. It was moved to Boston, then New York. In 1908, he created his first significant typeface for the Lanston Monotype Machine Company: E-38, sometimes known as Goudy Light. However, in that same year the Village Press burned to the ground, destroying all of his equipment and designs. In 1911, Goudy produced his first "hit," Kennerly Old Style, for an H. G. Wells
anthology published by Mitchell Kennerly. His most widely used type, Goudy Old Style, was released by the American Type Founders Company in 1915, becoming an instant classic.
From 1920 to 1947, Goudy was art director for Lanston Monotype. Beginning in 1927, Goudy was a vice-president of the Continental Type Founders Association
, which distributed many of his faces. By the end of his life, Goudy had designed 122 typefaces and published 59 literary works.
Goudy was the originator of the well-known statement, "Any man who would letterspace blackletter
would shag sheep." (This is often misquoted as: "anyone who would letterspace lowercase would steal sheep" and "anyone who would letterspace blackletter would steal sheep.") Others doubt this story, as the Briticism "shag" was unknown in American slang. It has also been said that the original verb was fuck, and that like "steal," "shag" was a more recent toning down of the original.
Goudy was not always a type designer. "At 40, this short, plump, pinkish, and puckish gentleman kept books for a Chicago realtor, and considered himself a failure. During the next 36 years, starting almost from scratch at an age when most men are permanently set in their chosen vocations, he cut 113 fonts of type, thereby creating more usable faces than did the seven greatest inventors of type and books, from Gutenberg to Garamond
."
Asked how to say his name, he told The Literary Digest
"When I was a boy my father spelled our name 'Gowdy' which didn't offer any particular reason for verbal gymnastics. Later, learning that the old Scots spelling was 'Goudy,' he changed to that form, while I, for some years, retained the old way. My brother, in Chicago, still spells with the w. However, I find that occasionally a stranger pronounces the word with ou as long o in go, sometimes as ou in soup, or goo and less frequently with the ou as oo in good. I retain the original pronunciation with ou as in out." (Charles Earle Funk, What's the Name, Please?, Funk & Wagnalls, 1936.)
and R. Hunter Middleton
), with ninety faces actually cut and cast, and many more designs completed. His most famous were Copperplate Gothic
and Goudy Old Style. For a complete list, see List of typefaces designed by Frederic Goudy.
Copperplate Gothic
Copperplate Gothic is a typeface designed by Frederic W. Goudy and released by the American Type Founders in 1901. While termed a "Gothic" , the face has small glyphic serifs that act to emphasize the blunt terminus of vertical and horizontal strokes...
, Kennerley, and Goudy Old Style. He also designed, in 1938, University of California Oldstyle, for the sole proprietary use of the University of California Press
University of California Press
University of California Press, also known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish books and papers for the faculty of the University of California, established 25 years earlier in 1868...
. The Lanston Monotype Company
Lanston Monotype Company
Lanston Monotype Company was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the end of the nineteenth century by Tolbert Lanston. In 1887 he received his first patent for a mechanical typesetting device. The current incarnation as the "Lanston Type Co." is a division of P22 type foundry....
released a version of this typeface as Californian for wider distribution in 1956, while ITC
International Typeface Corporation
The International Typeface Corporation was a type manufacturer founded in New York in 1970 by Aaron Burns, Herb Lubalin, and Edward Rondthaler. The company was one of the world's first type foundries to have no history in the production of metal type...
created a digital version, called ITC Berkeley, in 1983.
Biography
In 1903, Goudy and Will RansomWill Ransom
Will Ransom was an American graphic designer, letterer, typeface designer, and the foremost bibliographer of private presses.-Youth and early career:...
founded the Village Press in Park Ridge, Illinois. This venture was modeled on the Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
ideals of William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
. It was moved to Boston, then New York. In 1908, he created his first significant typeface for the Lanston Monotype Machine Company: E-38, sometimes known as Goudy Light. However, in that same year the Village Press burned to the ground, destroying all of his equipment and designs. In 1911, Goudy produced his first "hit," Kennerly Old Style, for an H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
anthology published by Mitchell Kennerly. His most widely used type, Goudy Old Style, was released by the American Type Founders Company in 1915, becoming an instant classic.
From 1920 to 1947, Goudy was art director for Lanston Monotype. Beginning in 1927, Goudy was a vice-president of the Continental Type Founders Association
Continental Type Founders Association
Continental Type Founders Association was founded by Melbert Brinckerhoff Cary Jr. in 1925 to distribute foundry type imported from European foundries. The influence of more modern European type design was thus felt in the United States for the first time, and American foundries responded by...
, which distributed many of his faces. By the end of his life, Goudy had designed 122 typefaces and published 59 literary works.
Goudy was the originator of the well-known statement, "Any man who would letterspace blackletter
Blackletter
Blackletter, also known as Gothic script, Gothic minuscule, or Textura, was a script used throughout Western Europe from approximately 1150 to well into the 17th century. It continued to be used for the German language until the 20th century. Fraktur is a notable script of this type, and sometimes...
would shag sheep." (This is often misquoted as: "anyone who would letterspace lowercase would steal sheep" and "anyone who would letterspace blackletter would steal sheep.") Others doubt this story, as the Briticism "shag" was unknown in American slang. It has also been said that the original verb was fuck, and that like "steal," "shag" was a more recent toning down of the original.
Goudy was not always a type designer. "At 40, this short, plump, pinkish, and puckish gentleman kept books for a Chicago realtor, and considered himself a failure. During the next 36 years, starting almost from scratch at an age when most men are permanently set in their chosen vocations, he cut 113 fonts of type, thereby creating more usable faces than did the seven greatest inventors of type and books, from Gutenberg to Garamond
Claude Garamond
Claude Garamond was a French publisher from Paris. He was one of the leading type designers of his time, and is credited with the introduction of the apostrophe, the accent and the cedilla to the French language. Several contemporary typefaces, including those currently known as Garamond, Granjon,...
."
Asked how to say his name, he told The Literary Digest
Literary Digest
The Literary Digest was an influential general interest weekly magazine published by Funk & Wagnalls. Founded by Isaac Kaufmann Funk in 1890, it eventually merged with two similar weekly magazines, Public Opinion and Current Opinion.-History:...
"When I was a boy my father spelled our name 'Gowdy' which didn't offer any particular reason for verbal gymnastics. Later, learning that the old Scots spelling was 'Goudy,' he changed to that form, while I, for some years, retained the old way. My brother, in Chicago, still spells with the w. However, I find that occasionally a stranger pronounces the word with ou as long o in go, sometimes as ou in soup, or goo and less frequently with the ou as oo in good. I retain the original pronunciation with ou as in out." (Charles Earle Funk, What's the Name, Please?, Funk & Wagnalls, 1936.)
Typefaces
Goudy was America's third most prolific type designer (behind Morris Fuller BentonMorris Fuller Benton
Morris Fuller Benton was an influential American typeface designer who headed the design department of the American Type Founders , for which he was the chief type designer from 1900 to 1937...
and R. Hunter Middleton
R. Hunter Middleton
Robert Hunter Middleton was an American book designer, painter, and type designer. Born in Glasgow, Scotland he came to Chicago in 1908 where he studied at the School of the Art Institute. He joined the design department of the Ludlow Typograph Company in 1923 and served as director of the...
), with ninety faces actually cut and cast, and many more designs completed. His most famous were Copperplate Gothic
Copperplate Gothic
Copperplate Gothic is a typeface designed by Frederic W. Goudy and released by the American Type Founders in 1901. While termed a "Gothic" , the face has small glyphic serifs that act to emphasize the blunt terminus of vertical and horizontal strokes...
and Goudy Old Style. For a complete list, see List of typefaces designed by Frederic Goudy.
Books
- "The Alphabet," Mitchell Kennerley, N.Y.C, 1922.
- "The Trajan Capitals," Oxford University Press, New York, 1936.
- "Typologia," University of California PressUniversity of California PressUniversity of California Press, also known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish books and papers for the faculty of the University of California, established 25 years earlier in 1868...
, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London, 1940.
External links
- Britannica Listing
- Linotype Library Designers: Frederic W. Goudy
- Goudy type designs at Lanston Type Co.
- Frederic Goudy Finding Aid
- Frederick Goudy at Typophile
- http://libcdm1.uncg.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=exact&CISORESTMP=results.php&CISOVIEWTMP=item_viewer.php&CISOMODE=grid&CISOGRID=thumbnail%2CA%2C1%3Btitle%2CA%2C1%3Bdescri%2C200%2C0%3Bdate%2CA%2C0%3Bnone%2CA%2C0%3B20%3Brelevancy%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOBIB=title%2CA%2C1%2CN%3Bdate%2CA%2C0%2CN%3Bdescri%2C200%2C0%2CN%3Bnone%2CA%2C0%2CN%3Bnone%2CA%2C0%2CN%3B20%3Brelevancy%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOTHUMB=20+%284x5%29%3Brelevancy%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOTITLE=20%3Btitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOHIERA=20%3Bdate%2Ctitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOSUPPRESS=1&CISOPARM=%2Ftb1+%3Acreato%3AGoudy%2C+Frederic+W.+%28Frederic+William%29%2C+1865-1947UNCG American Publishers' Trade Bindings: Frederic Goudy]