Abbey Text 0-9

NUMBERS: 0 to 9

PROVENANCE: When Will Bradley, the renowned American graphic artist, lettered out a front cover design for the December 1894 issue of The Inland Printer magazine, his novel form was immediately taken up by eager typefounders in search of new designs. Herman Ihlenburg created ‘Bradley’ for ATF; the Inland Type Foundry stormed ahead with ‘Saint John’; and A D Farmer cut ‘Abbey Text’; all in the coming months of 1895-96. P M Shanks cut ‘Venetian Text’ in metal in 1896, prompting English wood letter manufacturers to follow. Day & Collins opened the race in 1897 with their version of ‘Venetian Text’, so by the turn of the century this design had become lucratively popular. This version of ‘Abbey Text’ (aka ‘Venetian Text’) is pantographically cut a little heavier than the regular fonts offered at the time.