High-Legibility Bible Clarendon

John Savard20 April 2014 · 09:35

This typeface is too condensed, and has too small an x-height, to be Ionic No. 5, at least if Bitstream News 701 is a faithful clone thereof.

As well, I do not believe it to be Petit Mediaeval Clarendon; that was used by Cambridge University for some rather upscale Bibles.

These samples are from - and so, if you have the actual book, you may well find a note on the typeface in it - the St. Joseph New Catholic Edition of the Confraternity-Douay translation of the Holy Bible, published by the Catholic Book Publishing Co. of New York.

Font:

Modern Antique Condensed (Lanston Monotype)

Solved By:

quadibloc

John Savard20 April 2014 · 14:54

It somewhat resembles the old Linotype Antique No. 3, the bolder face shown below what they refer to as the "De Vinne Series" in this image:

Also, as somewhat similar, there is Clarendon Book Condensed.

It's definitely not Petit Medieval Clarendon, as that is wider.

And there's also Manfred Klein's RoundSlab Serif.

But notice that the face I'm trying to identify has very short descenders.

And, from the old Lanston Monotype specimen, I've found something very close:

The style called 76J seems condensed enough, and has short enough descenders, to be a match. But I'm not 100% sure it is the right typeface, as I can't tell for certain it's a Clarendon. Also, the target face has one other unusual characteristic: the stroke width on the capital letters is noticeably thicker than on the small letters.

On further examination: 76J is a Clarendon, and it does have the other characteristic in 7, 8, and 12 point... but not 9 and 10 point. Since the book in question is in 8 point type, it's a match, I guess.

By name, it's Modern Antique Condensed.