Historical Typography

While looking up information on the Maryland Renaissance Festival that is held annually in Maryland, it struck me to explore their website for an example of historical typography.  Why?  Not only because the event itself is based on a historical time period, but they have many vendors and exhibits based on the culture from the renaissance. And that includes printmaking. 

I could have taken the easy route and used their logo for an example of historical typography, but I wanted something more genuine.  I found just that.  

If you visit the Festival this year and go along the Queens Path, you'll find Artisans of all kinds, including "Allen Ye Printmaker".  Allen Bjorkman is a the owner of Fenix Art Studio in Oswego, NY.  It appears that he is a regular exhibitor at the Festival and one of his specialties are reproductions of Renaissance prints. 

Here is a print of what is called a "Hornbook".  The description from Bjorkman's website is as follows: 

 

England, 16th Century. Consisting of a single printed page overlaid with thin transparent horn and mounted on wood, the Elizabethan Hornbook was a child’s first primer. It taught the alphabet and elements of syllabication; it also included the Lord’s Prayer. Discipline was severe in Elizabethan schools, and the school day was unmercifully long, running from six or seven in the morning until five or six in the afternoon, six days per week. Limited edition screen print (400) from a hand-cut stencil. © 1984 by Allen Bjorkman     I've always liked the Old English style typography.  The uppercase letters are intricate and fancy, and the rest of the characters each have their unique aspects.  For example, the serifs are often angled, but some letters feature decorative serifs, such as the lowercase "s".  The combination of sharp angles and delicate rounded touches make this type seem very complicated.  I can only imagine how long it would take someone to hand write a document in this style.