Typographic Design: Form and Communication, 5th Edition

A chronology of typeface designs

The dates of design, production, and release of a typeface often differ, and additional fonts in a type family frequently follow later; therefore, many dates listed here are approximate.

Revivals of many typefaces are often named after early designers or authors. These faces were not so named during their epoch; however, their contemporary names are used here for identification purposes.

c. 1450: First Textura-style type, Johann Gutenberg

1467: First Roman-style type, Sweynheym and Pannartz

1470: Jenson, 1 Nicolas Jenson

1495: Bembo, Francesco Griffo

1499: Poliphilus, Francesco Griffo

1501: First italic type, Francesco Griffo

1514: Fraktur, Hans Schoensperger

1532: Garamond, Claude Garamond

1557: Civilité, Robert Granjon

c. 1570: Plantin, Anonymous

c. 1570: Canon d'Espagne, the Plantin Office

c. 1582: Flemish bold Roman, the Plantin Office

1616: Typi Academiae, Jean Jannon

c. 1670: Fell Roman, Peter Walpergen

1690: Janson, Nicholas Kis

1702: Romain du Roi, Philippe Grandjean

1722: Caslon Old Style, William Caslon

c. 1743: Early transitional types, Pierre Simon Fournier le Jeune

c. 1746: Fournier decorated letters, Pierre Simon Fournier le Jeune

1757: Baskerville, John Baskerville

c. 1764: Italique Moderne and Ancienne, Pierre Simon Fournier le Jeune

1768: Fry's Baskerville, Isaac Moore

c. 1780: Bodoni, Giambattista Bodoni

1784: Didot, Firmin Didot

c. 1795: Bulmer, William Martin

1796: Fry's Ornamented, RichardAustin

c. 1800: Walbaum, J. E. Walbaum ...