Description
Spire was done for Monotype by Sol Hess in the Art-Deco 1930s. As was popular in that era, some characters were provided with both a standard and an alternate letterform. Our font includes all seven of these that were drawn for Spire: A K M N R U W.
If you think we got a couple of them switched around—you’re right! So which is which? With Monotype matrices, the alternate characters are stamped with an S for “Special”. We also consulted original specimens to see how they were shown. On our label, the alternate A M N and W in the last line are in fact Specials, but the curved-leg K R and serifless U are actually the standard characters. We have taken the liberty of swapping these three to make the set of alternates more suited to our own sensibilities.
