I am partial to the letter B for obvious reasons, so to have one in this nice typeface at such a large size is a real treat. Unlike some of the letterforms from the large poster lot, this B has some really nice variations between the curves, specifically the joint between the two bowls and the top and bottom of the letterform. It’s more squared off in the center, and the curve is longer on the outer edges. The counters are all squared off, which gives the letter a more industrial feel. The counters are also quite small, it’s a really beefy block.

You can see where two pieces of side grain wood were joined along the right side of the counters. The counters are very shallow and I’d guess they were carved out by hand. You can see where the wood is splitting along the top and bottom edges, which is a problem I’m seeing a lot in larger side grain blocks. The face is stained a very dark color, which makes the exposed wood in the counters really startling. The dark wood also sets off the places of red ink that are still on the block. So lovely, I don’t want to use the block and wash the ink off! This is a side grain block that has a really nice pattern to it, which is pretty rare.

Style: Airport Tourist/ Futura Display variant
Style first appeared: 1932
Size: 48 Pica
Manufacturer: Unknown
Manufacturing Method: Pantograph
Is it part of a complete set? No