looking for letters

July 26, 2006 9:22 AM

Harvard students, staff, faculty & visitors: Where's the good lettering? I'm looking for recommendations for the best engraved lettering, printing, calligraphy and other lettering on your campus in preparation for an upcoming visit. The type of stuff I am talking about: like the inscriptions on the Harvard Gates, or the Eric Gill piece downstairs in the memorial chapel. Any suggestions? For that matter, any typographic or chirographic must-sees in Boston and Cambridge overall?
posted by luriete to media & arts (5 comments total)

TypeCon is August 8th-13th in Boston. There are a couple of walking tours of Cambridge and Boston:

Wednesday, August 9
10:00 am - 1:00 pm: A Typographic Tour of Cambridge and Boston
Walking tour led by Paul Shaw.

Thursday, August 10
9:30 am - 12:30 pm: A Calligraphic Walking Tour of Boston
Walking tour led by Margaret Shepherd.

Even if you're not around then, you could always contact the presenters and see if they want to give a practice tour with a knowledgeable participant. (Couldn't hurt to ask!)

I've been meaning to check out The Museum of Printing in North Andover. It's supposed to be good, but probably not worth it unless you have a car.

I apologize for not having a more direct answer to your question. I'm not a Harvard student, faculty or staff member, and I try to avoid visiting if at all possible.
posted by MarkAnd at 9:55 AM on July 26, 2006

I just discovered that there are several Harvard-related Groups on flickr. If you haven't done so already, you might want to post your question in their Discussion fora.
posted by NYCinephile at 10:01 AM on July 26, 2006

Previous discussion here on some carvings on Harvard gates.
posted by beagle at 11:02 AM on July 26, 2006

Don't miss the graveyard next to the Episcopal Church across from Johnston Gate - lots of great 17th century headstones in there.
posted by nyterrant at 11:37 AM on July 26, 2006

I don't know if this is still there (I have never seen it, just read about it), nor do I know if it is typographically interesting, but the plaque memorializing the suicide of Quentin Compson from Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury might be interesting to hunt down.
posted by jayder at 1:19 PM on July 26, 2006