1. Introduction

As "Tuscan Floral," this was a 20th century revival by Typefounders, Inc. [of Phoenix] of a type which may be traced at least to Caslon (circa 1854) or Figgins (before 1860).

2. Caslon (cira 1854)

In the 1976 second edition of her book on Victorian ornamented types, Nicolete Gray identifies this as a face by Caslon, circa 1854. It is number 184 in her "Chart of Ornamented Typefaces." (Gray, Nicolete, and Ray Nash. Nineteenth Century Ornamented Typefaces (Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 1976.))

3. Figgins (by 1860)

The typeface was shown by and from the collection of Steve L. Watts in 1960 and identified then as Extra Ornamented No. 2 by V. & J. Figgins (prior to 1860). (Watts, Stevens Lewis. Cool and Collected: The Pastime Printer (Front Royal, VA: The Privateer Press, 1960.)) Here is his showing of it:

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4. Phoenix Revival

At some point in the 1960s (but after his December 1962 Specimen 7A, in which it is not shown) this type was offered by Typefounders, Inc. [of Phoenix]. The matrices for this casting would presumably have been electroformed from existing type.

Here is the "Phoenix" revival, as shown in a brochure by LATF illustrating the types they had acquired from Typefounders, Inc.

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The matrices for this revival went to Los Angeles Type Founders, and then Barco / F&S. They are presently held by Skyline Type Foundry (in all sizes of the revival: 12, 18, 24, and 36 point).