Page:Historic printing types, a lecture read before the Grolier club of New York, January 25, 1885, with additions and new illustrations; by De Vinne, Theodore Low, 1828-1914; Grolier Club.djvu/96

92 HISTORIC FEINTING TYPES. Made to suit modern re- quirements. xviith century style. !:>-; i i >ur la Typographic, p. 699. Probably of French cut. founders, in each copy is noticeable an adaptation, some- times without any set purpose, to the fashions or manner- isms of the present time, or to the requirements of modern methods of presswork. Some are thin, some are fat, some are square, but all are labeled old style. These faces, alike in some points, are unlike in others, and are not clearly denned by this ambiguous name. The purer and more characteristic styles should be known by names that fairly describe them. The Elzevir or xviith century style, of which an illustra- tion is given on the next page, is so called because it is a fac-simile of types in a book printed at Leyden in 1659, probably by John Elzevir. But we have little warrant for believing that this "Elzevir" 1 style was designed by a Dutch type-founder, for it is unlike any type made by Van Dijck or his rivals. Its peculiar features are those of the French type-founders of that period. Didot says that the most beautiful books of the Elzevirs were printed from types designed and cast by Graramond and Sanlecque. It is probable that this form of old style is of French origin. The most noticeable peculiarity of this style is the stubbi- ness or " club-footedness " of its short serifs. Hair-lines are few, and, when used, are short and of unusual thickness. It would be difficult to point out in any character a useless mark or stroke. Of all the typographic forms of Roman 1 This style of type was seldom used types in France, most of their books by the Elzevirs. Although they bought were printed on Dutch types.