Clarendon

Designer: (Robert Besley) Hermann Eidenbenz // Foundry: (Fann Street Foundry) Haas, Linotype, Monotype, Bitstream Country of origin: (United Kingdom) Switzerland // Release year: (1840s) 1953 // Classification: Grotesque Slab

When one thinks “slab serif,” Clarendon is often the first thing that comes to mind. Its sturdy structure, punctuated by ball terminals, has made it one of the most popular faces of the last 50 years. The versions we know today are generally derived from mid-20th-century modernizations of styles from the early 1800s. Unlike the type that inspired Giza, Clarendon has an increased contrast that opens up the counters. This lets it be used for short passages of text. Serifs are also lighter and bracketed — still heavier than a book serif, but less imposing than Giza’s. There are a variety of Clarendon alternatives that either improve its readability (Ingeborg, Eames Century Modern) or enhance its expressive qualities (Farao).