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Rob Roy Kelly’s American Wood Type remains the bible for wood type despite being published decades ago. Mr. Kelly compiled a detailed history of different wood type foundries, faces and trends, marking yearly trends and giving specimens of hundreds of typefaces. The back of the book has dozens of full page specimen sheets of a wide variety of alphabets.

Consider yourself lucky if you can get your hands on a copy. The website the University of Texas has launched to document his collection eases the sting of the scarcity of the book, though I would encourage anyone who has the patience and the funds to find a copy, or to try the local library.

2 Comments on “American Wood Type”

  • Randy

    Liber Apertus Press has reproductions of the book for sale. liberapertuspress.com

    05-28-10 » 4:37 pm »

  • Gregory Ruffa

    A major reference book. If you love wood type, you will love this book.

    08-19-10 » 8:05 pm »

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