[1C] Typography Research Section "Perspectives on typography / Perspectives from typography"

[1C-03] Typeface Design of Grotesque No.9 and the Background of Its Revival

*Masayuki Yamamoto¹ (1. Gifu University)

Keywords:Grotesque No. 9, Sans serif, Typography

This study focuses on a sans serif type called Grotesque No. 9 cut in 1906 from Stephenson Blake & Co. Ltd at Sheffield. First it describes the classification of sans serifs and confirms the characteristics of Grot No. 9 and refers the short biography of its designer, Elisha Pechey. Then it outlines the works used Grot No. 9, e.g. British Avant-garde art group Votisist's magazine BLAST, logotype of British European Airways, sign board at Festival of Britain, package design of Ilford, and design manual of Watneys. There were reasons for the revival of the type such as lack of supplies after the World War II, saturation of geometric sans serifs, efficient and easy-to-read proportions, demand for old-fashioned typefaces full of humanity and nostalgic tastes for the 19th century.