(This Notebook deals with Ludlow Typograph Company publications which were primarily specimens and which were issued in book or booklet form. For specimens issued individually, see ../ Individual Ludlow Specimens. For publications which were primarily instructional in nature, see ../ Ludlow Typographical Instruction & Examples.)
The Ludlow Typograph Company published at least four editions of their big, hardcover specimen book under the title Ludlow Typefaces (in earlier versions with the subtitle "A Specimen Book of Matrix Fonts"). These rather sumptuous large volumes are distinct from the abridged specimen books issued under the title Some Ludlow Typefaces .
Ludlow Typefaces (June 1930, Edition A?)
Ludlow Typefaces: A Specimen Book of Matrix Fonts. (Chicago: Ludlow Typograph Company, n.d.) Blue hardcover with silver and red. "Ludlow Typograph Company" printed vertically on spine side of cover. Spine reads "Ludlow Typefaces" bottom-to-top. 10 sections of specimens. Unpaginated, showings printed on recto only.
I am assuming that this is the edition of June 1930 for the following reasons: (1) Both the booklet Ludlow Typefaces: A Supplement, November 1933 and the booklet Ludlow Typefaces Recently Produced, April 1936 identifies the previous bound specimen book as having been issued in June 1930. We know therefore that a bound specimen book was issued at this date. (At the time, "bound" would have signified "hardbound.") (2) This edition covers series through 28-M (Tempo Medium). It seems that Ludlow assigned their family numbers sequentially (though sometimes new series within families were added later). McGrew dates Tempo Medium to 1930. (3) As acquired, this volume contained in a pocket in the back a 24 page booklet of " Supplementary Specimen Pages[,] September 15, 1931."
It may also be edition 'A'. It has a plate registering this copy to its owner, with a registration number (3096 in this instance), but this registration number has no letter prefix such as editions B and D, below, do. It is therefore not possible on present evidence to know whether the Ludlow company thought of this as edition 'A' or as an edition outside of the "A-D" sequence. However, as edition 'B' (see below) dates from after April 1936 and yet has as its latest family one introduced in 1934, this present edition is probably edition 'A'.
Ludlow Typefaces: A Supplement, November 1933
"This supplement shows all the Ludlow typefaces produced since the publication of the blue cloth-bound specimen book in June 1930." That book ended with 28-M (Tempo Medium). This Supplement adds 30-L & 30-M (Karnak Light and Medium, 1931), 31-MIC (Mayvair Cursive, 1932), 34 (Umbra, 1932), and 35-EC (Lafayette Extra Condensed, 1932) [dates from McGrew] as well as new series within existing families and new sizes within existing series.
Thanks are due to Paul Aken, proprietor of The Platen Press Museum in Zion, IL, for his kind permission to scan and reprint this copy of this book.
The image at left links to a presentation of this volume at The Internet Archive. Here is a local copy of the PDF (423 Megabytes): ludlow-typefaces-a-supplement-november-1933-pa-0600dpijpg.pd
Ludlow Typefaces Recently Produced, April 1936
"This booklet shows all the Ludlow typefaces produced since the publication of the bound specimen book in June 1930." That book ended with 28-M (Tempo Medium). This supplement includes the faces shown in the earlier booklet Ludlow Typefaces: A Supplement, November 1933 and to this adds: 36-BIC (Mandate, 1934), and 37-B & 37-L (Eden Bold, Eden Light, 1934) [dates from McGrew] as well as new series within existing families and new sizes within existing series.
Thanks are due to Paul Aken, proprietor of The Platen Press Museum in Zion, IL, for his kind permission to scan and reprint this copy of this book.
The image at left links to a presentation of this volume at The Internet Archive. Here is a local copy of the PDF (423 Megabytes): ludlow-typefaces-recently-produced-april-1936-pa-0600dpijpg.pdf
Ludlow Typefaces (Edition B, 1936)
Ludlow Typefaces: A Specimen Book of Matrix Fonts. (Chicago: Ludlow Typograph Company, n.d.) Blue hardcover with silver and red. Without "Ludlow Typograph Company" printed vertically on spine side of cover. Spine reads "Ludlow Typefaces" from top to bottom. 18 sections of specimens. Unpaginated, showings printed on recto only. This copy is inscribed B-1238.
This edition must date to the latter part of 1936. It contains basically the same material as presented through Ludlow Typefaces Recently Produced, April 1936, above (both end with 37-B/L, Eden Bold/Light). The next Ludlow families numerically are 38 (38-HIC, Hauser Script, 1936) and 39 (39-B/L/LI, Plantin Bold, Light, Light Italic, 1937); these are not covered here.
Ludlow Typefaces (Edition D, by 1958)
Maroon cover. 253 pp. This is edition D, registered copy D-1140. It is missing (in the original copy scanned) the sheet with pp. 104-105. However, I have also checked registered copy D-2614 and found not only that it was missing these pages, but that in it pp. 103 and 106 are recto and verso of the same sheet. Friends have checked their copies for me, and discovered the same thing (in copies D-1726 and D-2423). So pp. 104-105 either never existed or were eliminated at some point during the print run.
Dating this edition is unreasonably difficult. Here are the clues so far:
These clues strongly suggest a date in the early 1940s, but given that Edition 'B' was 1936, that leaves very little time for an Edition C. Perhaps "between 1940 and 1953" would be a safer bet.
Supplement with D-1140
"Supplement to the Typeface Book." (Chicago, IL: Ludlow Typograph Company, n.d.) This was present in D-1140 as scanned. It may or may not belong with this book, however, as its page numbers (245-254) overlap with D-1140 (which ends with pp. 245-248). The pages bearing the same numbers in each (245-248) have different contents. This Supplement must date from 1943 or later (the introduction of city zone codes). The image at left links to a PDF of this booklet (81 Megabytes).
Some Ludlow Typefaces (1939 or 1940, Red)
A red-covered paperback bound volume.
The highest-numbered typeface family in this edition is 44 (44-L/M Commerce Gothic Light/Medium), but I do not know its date (McGrew gives the date for Ludlow's adaptation of it from ATF/Benton's Bank Gothic of 1930-33). The family before that is 43 (43-M/BEC/H, Radiant Medium / Bold Extra Heavy Condensed / Heavy). McGrew dates the original Radiant (Medium? he doesn't say) to 1938, "with additional members of the family being added over the following two or three years" (McGrew, p. 263). Since the green-covered edition reprinted below ends in 47-H (Samson, 1940/1941), 1939 or 1940 would be a good bet for the date of this present edition.
[Various 1941 Advance Showings]
These are scans of several pages and slips of advance showings, generally dated 1941, which were tipped in to a copy of Some Ludlow Typefaces (the red-bound softcover edition of 1939 or 1940). This copy was owned by the former Barco/F&S Type Foundry in Chicago and was borrowed from friends who acquired its last Ludlow. The link here is "up and over" to this digitization in the ../ Individual Ludlow Specimen Sheets and Advance Showings Notebook.
Some Ludlow Typefaces (1941 or Later, Green)
A green-covered paperback bound volume.
The highest-numbered typeface family in this edition is 47 (47-H, Samson in 24, 36, 48, & 72 pt). McGrew says that Samson was "designed" in 1940. However, it received its advance showing (of 36, 48, & 72 pt, at least) on January 10, 1941 (see above) .
This specimen does not show 46-MEC Greenwich, even though it had an advance showing in January 1941 (see above). Greenwich was omitted from later editions of Some Ludlow Typefaces, as well.
Some Ludlow Typefaces (1941 or Later, Purple)
A purple-covered paperback bound volume.
This is effectively identical to the green-covered edition reprinted above. The only differences are the color of the cover and the interchanging of the contents of pages 109 and 111 between the two printings (but each volume is numbered sequentially within itself).
The image at left links to a PDF of just the cover of this volume. Thanks are due to Paul Aken, proprietor of The Platen Press Museum in Zion, IL, for his kind permission to scan and reprint this copy of this book (even though I did only the cover).
Some Ludlow Typefaces (1953 or Later, Brown)
A brown-covered paperback bound volume.
The highest-numbered typeface family in this edition is 49 (49-BIC, Admiral Script, 1953).
Some Ludlow Typefaces (1956 or Later, Green)
A green-covered volume with a comb binding.
The highest-numbered typeface family in this edition is 52 (52-LIC, Florentine Cursive, 1956).
Some Ludlow Typefaces (1962 or later)
A green-covered volume with a comb binding.
These are selected scans from an edition of Some Ludlow Typefaces which was owned by the former Barco/F&S Type Foundry in Chicago and was borrowed from friends who acquired its last Ludlow. This volume is for the most part identical to the green 1956 or later edition reprinted above, but shows, in addition, two sets of series (53-BIC (Wave) and 54-L, -LI, -B (Times New Roman, italic and bold) numbered beyond those shown in the earlier volume and several series filling out existing families. It is undated, but McGrew dates Wave to 1962. The icon at left links to a 90 Megabyte PDF.
The additional series shown are:
There is also a page (p. 173) of supplementary showings of various faces. 54-B (Times New Roman Bold) and 54-LI (Times New Roman Italic) are shown only on this page.
One Line Specimens (1943 or later)
Ludlow Typefaces: One Line Specimens. (Chicago: Ludlow Typograph Company, n.d.) Undated, but after 1943 (the introduction of city zone codes) and before the adoption by Ludlow of ZIP codes (introduced 1963) into their literature. The highest-number family appearing in this specimen is 46-MEC Greenwich, which had an advance showing in 1941. It is likely, therefore, that it dates to the late 1940s.
The image at left links to a local copy of the PDF (140 Megabytes). Thanks are due to Paul Aken, proprietor of The Platen Press Museum in Zion, IL, for his kind permission to scan and reprint this copy of this book.
A Selection of Alphabets from Ludlow (1963 or later)
An undated but relatively late 16 page folded brochure of two-line abridged specimens. It postdates the introduction of ZIP codes (1963).
Thanks are due to Jenny Addison, Prop. of Lock & Key Press for preserving this specimen and making it available.
Christmas Ornaments (pre-1943)
Ludlow Christmas Ornaments. (Chicago: Ludlow Typograph Company, n.d.) Undated, but published prior to Ludlow's use of city zone codes (introduced 1943) on their publications.
Thanks are due to Paul Aken, proprietor of The Platen Press Museum in Zion, IL, for his kind permission to scan and reprint this copy of this book.
The image at left links to a presentation of this volume at The Internet Archive. Here is a local copy of the PDF (122 Megabytes, 1200 dpi RGB scan): ludlow-christmas-ornaments-pa-0600dpijpg.pdf
Borders, &c (1943-1963)
Ludlow Borders, Ornaments, [and] Miscellaneous Matrices. (Chicago: Ludlow Typograph Company, n.d.) Undated, but published after the introduction of city zone codes (1943) and before Ludlow's adoption of ZIP codes (introduced 1963).
Thanks are due to Paul Aken, proprietor of The Platen Press Museum in Zion, IL, for his kind permission to scan and reprint this volume.
The image at left links to a presentation of this volume at The Internet Archive. Here is a local copy of the PDF (386 Megabytes): ludlow-borders-ornaments-misc-mats-striped-yellow-pre1963-pa-0600dpijpg.pdf
Borders, &c (post-1963)
Ludlow Borders, Ornaments, [and] Miscellaneous Matrices. (Chicago: Ludlow Typograph Company, n.d.) Undated, but published after the introduction of ZIP codes in 1963.
Thanks are due to Paul Aken, proprietor of The Platen Press Museum in Zion, IL, for his kind permission to scan and reprint this volume.
The image at left links to a presentation of this volume at The Internet Archive. Here is a local copy of the PDF (340 Megabytes): ludlow-borders-ornaments-misc-mats-striped-yellow-post1963-pa-0600dpijpg.pdf
These specimens were published in the US without copyright notice at a time when such notice was required to secure copyright. They therefore passed into the public domain upon initial publication. These digital reprints remains in the public domain.
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