The magazine Typographica – brainchild of founder, editor, designer, and renowned typographer HERBERT SPENCER – had a brief life, a total of 32 issues published over nineteen years. But its influence stretched, and stretches, far beyond its modest distribution and print runs of the time. Indeed, for many graphic designers, Typographica is something of an obsession, to be collected if and when found, savoured, and poured over for designs and techniques not seen since. Remarkably, Spencer never intended to turn a profit, so no expenses were spared in the making of the magazine. Different papers, letterpress, tip-ins, and more were all employed in the presentation of an eclectic range of subject matter: Braille, locomotive lettering, sex and typography, typewriter faces, street lettering, matches, and avant-garde poetry all found their way into the magazine.
Supported by its publisher / printer Lund Humphries, which owned one of the finest printing houses of the day, Spencer was able to use mixed papers, gatefolds, small inserts and silvered pages protected by glassine sheets. Typographica’s pages and content looked as modern and exciting today as they did when they were first published: a time when it took more than two clicks to see the latest work from Switzerland or learn about the life and work of Piet Zwart.
For many graphic designers, Typographica was a vital part of their design education.
Typographica New SeriesCovers
London
Typographica No. 2 1960 BCG – Brownjohn, Chermayeff and Geismar feature
Typographica No. 4 1961 Street Level by Robert Brownjohn who also designed the cover
Typographica No. 6 1962 Watching Words Move booklet
Typographica No. 7 Typography in Britain 1963 Special Issue
Typographica No. 10 1964 Sex and Typography Robert Brownjohn
Typographica No. 4 1961 – Street Level Robert Brownjohn
Typographica No. 10 1964 Sex and Typography Robert Brownjohn
Typographica Sex and TypographyFrom Russia With Love
Typographica Sex and TypographyGoldfinger
Typographica Sex and TypographyArticle
Typographica No. 2 1960 BCG
Typographica BCG feature1960
Typographica No. 7 1963
Typographica No. 7 Typography in Britain Special IssueIn 2009 there was a Typographica exhibition at Kemistry Gallery in London. Curated by Rick Poynor, the show featured reproduced spreads and, safely in a display case at the back, precious copies of the magazine that published only 32 issues in two series between 1949 and 1967. Spencer edited, designed and wrote large parts of the magazine, which combined a commentary on Modern graphic design, photography and avant-garde art with an appreciation of history, printer’s letterpress stock blocks – and manhole covers.
Typographica exhibition at the Kemistry Gallery curated by expert Rick Poynor – London 2009
Typographica exhibition at the Kemistry Gallery curated by expert Rick Poynor – London 2009
Typographica exhibition at the Kemistry Gallery curated by expert Rick Poynor – London 2009
Typographica exhibition at the Kemistry Gallery curated by expert Rick Poynor – London 2009
Typographica exhibition at the Kemistry Gallery curated by expert Rick Poynor – London 2009
Typographica exhibition at the Kemistry Gallery curated by expert Rick Poynor – London 2009
Typographica exhibition at the Kemistry Gallery curated by expert Rick Poynor – London 2009