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July 21, 2010 2:12 PM   Subscribe

Can you help me identify this typeface?

I've been trying to identify this typeface since last week; I don't even like it, but it's from the front of a brochure that I need to rebuild. What The Font has a hard time with it, and so does their forum. I also tried to run it through Identifont, and asked in several design-centered mailing lists I am a member of, with no result.

The only thing I can think of is that it has a somewhat Emigré-esque look, but then I went through their library and didn't find anything similar (except maybe Modula, but just for the M, and not even that much).
posted by _dario to Media & Arts (13 answers total)
 
Best answer: It kind of says Neville Brody to me, but FF Dome is not it either. Try the Typophile Type ID board if no one else can pin it down.
posted by zadcat at 2:21 PM on July 21, 2010


Is it actually an image that's been cropped from, say, a plaque or engraving? If that's the case, it may not be a font or typeface at all but could be an example of some fine, old-fashioned craftsmanship.
posted by amanda at 2:22 PM on July 21, 2010


It's a modified version of FF Dog I think - I'd look at Paul Sych as the designer - Certainly it's very close to FF Dog, but there are so many changes it might be a member of the family or a complete rip-off
posted by Metheglen at 2:29 PM on July 21, 2010


Best answer: Whatever it is, by the way, it has a very early-1990s look to it, and you might want to pitch a new font as being not so dated-looking.
posted by zadcat at 2:39 PM on July 21, 2010


Response by poster: zadcat: Brody, too. Anyway yes, definitely a late 80's-90's feeling. re: pitching a new font: I'd like to but this is an addition to an existing collection of brochures. (trying to make contact with the previous designer)

amanda, no, it's in print. I doctored the picture because the original I scanned is in metallic silver on brown, almost illegible in the scan (also, to feed it to What The Font).

metheglen: it's close, yes, possibly a free font 'inspired by' FF Dog.
posted by _dario at 2:43 PM on July 21, 2010


The example of FF Dog in the FontFront shop is not that close a match (no good deep-linking, sorry), and What The Font turns up no direct matches. The closest was FSD Exit, and that was only a decent match on some letters. Unfortunately, FSD doesn't have anything closer in their catalog.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:54 PM on July 21, 2010


Best answer: Nthing the suggestion for the Typophile's board. Those guys are freaks when it comes to typeface identification.
posted by schmod at 4:01 PM on July 21, 2010


Response by poster: Posted on Typophile. Fingers crossed (this had the other type freaks at myfonts forum stumped).
posted by _dario at 4:14 PM on July 21, 2010


Best answer: Can you provide additional letters from the other brochures it matches? Identifont might be more use with a wider selection of letters. Otherwise you may be stuck with creating a graphic of the lettering (either just a raster image, or a vectorised version if possible) rather than using the font itself. Good luck.
posted by Lebannen at 5:03 PM on July 21, 2010


Response by poster: Lebannen: I uploaded a couple more samples (1,2) from the two brochures I have

(people at Typophile are equally stumped, it seems)
posted by _dario at 6:08 PM on July 21, 2010


Response by poster: aaand, it seems we have a winner!

The typeface is one "Decco Modern" designed by Andy Hullinger in 1993, originally distributed by T-26 but apparently out of their catalog; it was identified by an awesome guy on the Typophile board.

The small sample on this page confirms it's it (scroll down to 'commercial fonts', second row, on the right), notice the "a" and "e".

Now the original question may very well become: "how do I put my hands on a copy?"

Googling is inconclusive at best, it seems to have been on sale (32$) by Agfa/Monotype (nothing in their library) until a certain point, but all links take to a 'not found' page on fonts.com. Fontshop hasn't got it either. Maybe I'll try and contact the folks at T-26. Or I'll vectorize everything and recreate a decent approximation. Don't really like the idea but, hey, if it's positively out of the market, I call fair use on this one.

So, a little something to take home; when someone asks you why all designers are so keen to use Helvetica, point them to this thread: BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS IT, THAT'S WHY!
posted by _dario at 8:24 PM on July 21, 2010


Best answer: Andy Hullinger is on Facebook. Maybe you can ask him directly about acquiring the font.
posted by zadcat at 6:27 PM on July 22, 2010


Response by poster: Actually, Andy Hullinger found the conversation on typophile.com while demonstrating 'self-googling' to his design students in class, and offered a free copy!

Having dabbled in font design myself (and having found it a painstakingly long process that you endure only if you have the utmost patience and love for the craft) I have the greatest respect for font designers, which is why I was really reluctant in tracing it.

So, happy ending!
posted by _dario at 3:36 PM on July 29, 2010


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