Hi people!
Hedera. Umm... what is it exactly? Ivy leaf... a horticultural dingbat... This little fellow (see veer's t-shirt) has caught my attention a few times - always sitting by itself for no apparent reason. Is it just pretty? Or is there more to it than that?
Or am I just being haunted by the thing?
The Hedera was one of the first punctuation marks of Greek and Romans (beside Interpuncts). In the Middle Ages this meaning was forgotten and it became a decoration for title pages and so on. In Germany we also call it Aldus-Blatt, because the famous italien printer Aldus Manutius used it very frequently.
Ralf
Thanks Ralf, a great answer. I can rest a little easier now. Judging by the web pages I have found, it would seem that the Hedera/Aldus-Blatt has been given more recognition in Germany than in other countries (example)... is that the case?
I feel a little guilty that the meaning passed me by, although I am sure I am not alone...
In the Character Palette (Apple OS X 10.4) I have found the hedera listed under Ornamental Punctuation as a floral heart and a rotated floral heart bullet. Both in Zapf Dingbats. Now I am forced to ask three more questions:
1/ Is it commonly known in Europe as a hedera, but more commonly referred to as a floral heart in the States? (I am British).
2/ Other than Dingbats, which character sets include the hedera?
3/ Was the original use always as a bullet?
Please forgive my ignorance!
it would seem that the Hedera/Aldus-Blatt has been given more recognition in Germany than in other countries
Yes, because Germany's most famous publisher of design and typography books ("Hermann Schmidt Verlag") uses it as their brand mark.
But I don't think the ancient roots and the name Hedera are well known in Germany or elsewhere.
You can find some more information in Parkes "Pause and Effect – an introduction to the history of puntuaction in the west" and in Paul Saenger's "Space between Words".
I don't know which other typefaces include a Hedera. But if you find out more, please let me know. I would like to compare the different designs.
Ralf
Linotype ornaments. So… a needless or much needed flourish?
Ralf: Minion Ornaments has quite a selection of Hedera.
Captured from web.archive.org on 18 Feb 2015. view this capture
