ironringer Posted August 29, 2020 Share #1 Posted August 29, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Does anyone know what print fonts Leica used in its ads and literature, from the 1920s through 1950s? Were the print fonts the same in German and English literature? Is the Leica script name (with the long tail on the L) a special font style that Leitz developed? I imagine that engravings (letters and numbers) on equipment were not a "printing" font, but a basic style from mechanical template systems. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 29, 2020 Posted August 29, 2020 Hi ironringer, Take a look here Fonts in Leica ads and literature 1920-1960?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
pedaes Posted August 29, 2020 Share #2 Posted August 29, 2020 2 hours ago, ironringer said: Does anyone know what print fonts Leica used in its ads and literature, from the 1920s through 1950s? Were the print fonts the same in German and English literature? Is the Leica script name (with the long tail on the L) a special font style that Leitz developed? I imagine that engravings (letters and numbers) on equipment were not a "printing" font, but a basic style from mechanical template systems. A question for the late and much missed Lars Berqvist. You could try searching under Lars name. I think from memory he established the actual 'Leica' name script was unique. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted August 29, 2020 Share #3 Posted August 29, 2020 See by yourself from some examples: ads in German English French Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted August 29, 2020 Share #4 Posted August 29, 2020 I think that the "Leica" script name was indeed unique, in the sense that they designed the script but did not develop from it a font, to say a complete alphabet of that style. Most of the literature that i have in scan copy is in english (the most easy to find on line) and for example I did noticed that a Leitz USA general catalog of 1934 bears "printed in USA" , while a USA lens catalog of 1937 bears "printed in Germany"... by logic this one ought to use the same fonts as the German version... and anyway its font is different from the 1934 catalog, and different is also the font of a 1935 French catalog (which has several pictures identical to the USA catalog) : but there's no evidence about where the French Catalog was printed... Compicated question... 🤥.. Leitz did produce lot of printed literature... my vague feel is that an IDENTICAL item of literature (example, a pricelist for different countries/languages) was composed with the same fonts in the different languages... but am not at all expert on typography (old friend Lars really was, indeed, as pointed above...) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxspbr Posted August 29, 2020 Share #5 Posted August 29, 2020 I believe the "Leica" script was created by someone on design/advertisement dept at Leitz. Almost all folders and catalogs I have here were printed in Germany on several typographies. So there are differences, of course. Funny to find that Lutz, Ferrando & Cia (from Buenos Aires but with many stores in Brazil and more important Leitz distribuitor than the official representative) made folders and catalogs under Leitz name, in Portuguese and Spanish. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxspbr Posted August 29, 2020 Share #6 Posted August 29, 2020 This Portuguese language Leica folder was printed in Rio de Janeiro. It shows the III only, so I can believe it's before the IIIa. It's a great typography work, btw. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/312791-fonts-in-leica-ads-and-literature-1920-1960/?do=findComment&comment=4035992'>More sharing options...
ironringer Posted August 29, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted August 29, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thank you Forum members for your replies. I shall review my Leica literature (almost all USA or UK versions) to try and observe differences, however it takes a specialist to spot variations and identify fonts. Seems like I should have asked this question (how many?) years ago. I like the look of that 1930s catalogue, maxspbr, muito obrigado 😃. Here is a picture of a European ad with the same "deco" illustration. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/312791-fonts-in-leica-ads-and-literature-1920-1960/?do=findComment&comment=4035994'>More sharing options...
maxspbr Posted August 29, 2020 Share #8 Posted August 29, 2020 A curious piece printed in Buenos Aires, july 1934. Catalog of a Dr Paul Wolff exhibit. The foreword is by Ernst Leitz, Wetzlar - but printed under Lutz, Ferrando. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/312791-fonts-in-leica-ads-and-literature-1920-1960/?do=findComment&comment=4035995'>More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 30, 2020 Share #9 Posted August 30, 2020 Interesting topic. This is the front page of the earliest German brochure I have (Liste 2238, November 1926, printed in Wetzlar): Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/312791-fonts-in-leica-ads-and-literature-1920-1960/?do=findComment&comment=4036008'>More sharing options...
alan mcfall Posted August 30, 2020 Share #10 Posted August 30, 2020 Most of the early Leitz microscope catalogs use "Block" letters for Leitz. By 1925 the script form was used, so possibly the script style preceeded the Leica camera. Laney show slight variations in the Leitz script from 1926 and 1929. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Next photo shows May 1927 upper left; 1925 brochures dated March and May 1925 with block letters from Wetzlar and Script from England. They both use the same front photo, but are different inside.The one marked London was printed in Wetzlar. Lower left, New York May 1928 where they seem to have created a style of "Leica" of their own. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Next photo shows May 1927 upper left; 1925 brochures dated March and May 1925 with block letters from Wetzlar and Script from England. They both use the same front photo, but are different inside.The one marked London was printed in Wetzlar. Lower left, New York May 1928 where they seem to have created a style of "Leica" of their own. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/312791-fonts-in-leica-ads-and-literature-1920-1960/?do=findComment&comment=4036034'>More sharing options...
ironringer Posted August 30, 2020 Author Share #11 Posted August 30, 2020 Thank you everyone for comments and examples of different "script" styles for the Leica name. These are interesting and somewhat known; however I was more interested in the font(s) used for Leica's text documents and ads. I believe there are a few computer and phone applications that can analyse and identify some fonts. I will research these. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted August 30, 2020 Share #12 Posted August 30, 2020 (edited) 8 hours ago, ironringer said: Thank you Forum members for your replies. I shall review my Leica literature (almost all USA or UK versions) to try and observe differences, however it takes a specialist to spot variations and identify fonts. Seems like I should have asked this question (how many?) years ago. I like the look of that 1930s catalogue, maxspbr, muito obrigado 😃. Here is a picture of a European ad with the same "deco" illustration. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! You always find some intriguing details... 😎 : this image has a "strong" identity from the big "LEICA" 3D script with long shadows... clearly their marketing dept. of the time found it an impressive good image... so kept it both in the "european" and "brazilian" brochure... but changing the camera model in foreground. Edited August 30, 2020 by luigi bertolotti 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted August 31, 2020 Share #13 Posted August 31, 2020 On 8/30/2020 at 1:50 AM, ironringer said: Here is a picture of a European ad with the same "deco" illustration. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! It let me thinking about a Fritz Lang movie.... 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiri-c Posted September 15, 2020 Share #14 Posted September 15, 2020 hello there technically, at the period typesetting was done in the print shop, with whatever type (font is the name we usually associate with the computer typeface) was available. print shop was provided with printing matrice (pictures in positions, demarked typesetting zones). usual typographic instructions were simple: sans serif, 12 points. nothing else! print shop was using whatever was available at the shop at the moment. lots of these typefaces were digitalised (therefore became “fonts”), lots of old movable type typefaces remain known only by the guys who actually used it. to add to uncertainty and confusion: some typefaces were named differently in different countries, or were misnamed straight copies to escape copyright from original foundry. yep. even back then. i know. it doesn’t help. or maybe that’s why nobody is rushing to provide the names of typefaces in question. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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