Hi. Terra Nuevo is a delightful typeface adapted from a 1562 map of the New World (when Shakespeare was two years old) O Brave New World!
https://www.myfonts.com/fonts/fdi/fdi-tierra-nueva/

Tell me if I’m the only person who immediately has Baskerville all over my head. Or Caslon.

Two printed samples. The first one was published in 1600 while he was still living.

The 2nd one, published in 1623 and known as the "First Folio", was a collection of his work. 800 were printed and 233 remain. One was discovered just recently, Google for news articles.

Wow! Super Cool. In my mind, the second all-caps heading looks like Hoefler Swash, but do you know of the actual typeface used for both covers?

Caslon.

Since the First Folio was published in 1623 and Caslon's first typeface appeared in 1722, we can be sure the actual typeface wasn't a Caslon.

Google lead me to this:
http://beineckeearlymodern.library.yale.edu/2010/01/12/from-the-reading-...

Yup, here's more info on the same research right here on Typophile: http://www.typophile.com/node/66088

Until the 16th Century, most Roman type used in England was manufactured in the Netherlands. English printers were beginning to make their own Roman type in Shakespeare's time, but they were still using Dutch type as their model. (In the 17th Century, England enacted laws severely restricting the press, which sent English printing into a temporary decline.)

1669 Elzevir is a modern re-creation of the type that inspired the early printers of Shakespeare.

It is very interesting to learn of the typefaces of Pierre Haultain. So this face dates from 1570, and while one revival was done, it was not made generally available.

Incidentally, as it does very strongly resemble Caslon, and it was formerly thought to be a typeface of Dutch origin instead of French, I'm wondering if the discovery of the font's origins will have an impact not just on Shakespearian study, but on the history of type in general - in that Caslon resembles this more than, say, Plantin.

The 1669 Elzevir GLC is definitely similar


Don

Another point of view — If you're working on a layout, are you sure you want it to look old-fashioned?

If it's aimed at Shakespeare scholars, that might be a good idea.

If it's aimed at a younger or more general audience, a contemporary look might be better. Or a layout that blends older elements with newer ones.

Might also be worth looking at DTL Elzevir http://www.dutchtypelibrary.nl/Elevir_rdrct.html which like 1669 Elzevir GLC is based on type by Elzevir, but is a blend of various typefaces. Not quite as close as 1669 Elzevir GLC but a very polished presentation as opposed to the worn look of 1669 Elzevir GLC.
Don

I would start with Le Be:

Updated:
False lead. See my next post.
Don

Shakespeare's First Folio is well before Caslon, as as people have noted. Yet as Caslon was using models from the previous century, and giving his personal interpretation, they retain quite a bit of the feeling of the earlier types.

In 2011 the Folger Shakespeare Library did an exhibition on Shakespeare's First Folio, and did a book, Folio Mania! Stories Behind Shakespeare's Most Important Book. Bruce Kennett designed the book to the same proportions and some of the same layout as the First Folio, and used Williams Caslon Text (Font Bureau) for the text and running heads, which like the First Folio were in italic with swash caps. The book also used fine Vellum paper. I was delighted see my typeface used so beautifully—Thanks Bruce! I thought it succeeded pretty well in getting the feel of the old book, without being fake antiquarian.

Updated:
Perhaps this is the correct LeBe?
Titling version

Book version

From specimens in Harry Carter's a View of Early Typography, as digitized by Ralph Levien http://www.levien.com/type/myfonts/
Don

Don, the Carter and Kosofsky LeBe is only of the Hebrew type, I believe, with Carter doing the display and Kosofsky the text. I don't think they did any roman.

Thanks William. I figured that out and deleted my post as being a false lead.
But, as noted in my new post, I believe I found a LeBe that matches the posted LeBe sample by janekZ.

At this point we are merely exploring the prospects for a close match to the "First Folio" -- which may not be essential for the request for a font that screams "Shakespeare!" I agree Williams Caslon Text would work for most readers, particularly since it has a fair assortment of swashes and other characters that are lacking in the fonts closer to the "First Folio."
Don

To see all the letters, swashes and variations used in the First Folio, you can check "The works of William Shakespeare : in reduced facsimile from the famous First Folio edition of 1623 (1876)" at Archive Org https://archive.org/details/worksofwilliam00shak Another reduced facsimile https://archive.org/details/theworksofwillia00shakrich Comedies https://archive.org/details/shakespearescome00shak_1
A source crying out for creation of a digital font that matches.
Don

In the 1990s, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival produced IlShakeFest, a freeware italic font based on the main titles of the Shakespeare First Folio.

If I recall correctly, I downloaded IlShakeFest directly from the festival's website, but I don't see the font there any more. It is now available from many other sources on the Web.

The link to a digital First Folio was wonderful; I wonder if anyone can find a book from circa 1570-1580 where fresh fonts made from fresh matrices from the punches when they were young were used, as a good source for the specific face by Pierre Haultain.

Edited:
False lead.
Don

Interesting. I read halfway through this thread when I decided Elzevir is the typeface I had to think of, though I wasn't sure about its historical accuracy. But then Elzevir was named, so I guess I wasn't far off.

Text 1603, font Day Roman (François Guyot, "used in numerous books between 1535 and 1570", by Fredrick Nader, 2002)
Modern text, font by me (Elzevir 1661)
Edit:
Don, ( http://typophile.com/node/121715#comment-595118 ) still WIP

Day Roman http://apostrophiclab.pedroreina.net/0189-DayRoman/dayroman.html
Don

Found more info on Jan Żurawski's Elzevir 1661 inspired font at http://typophile.com/node/73413
Any more info?
Don