I think it's Clarendon Black, with the O tilted over.

- Mike Yanega

Century Schoolbook Bold.

Are you sure? The stroke looks less modulated in the online sample you posted.

Thanks to both of you.
so it was clarendon all along...

Good swift responses

You know, I think we're only offering the closest fonts that resemble the lettering. The artist can distort the size and shape of the strokes, serifs and interior spaces (counters). Most likely, no digital font was used in the production of the Love logo. If it was designed before 1980 that is almost a certainty. I think a Clarendon was the typeface he started from.

- Mike Yanega

The type in the design is heavy, but its stroke contrast is greater than that of either Clarendon Black or Century Schoolbook Bold.

Century Schoolbook Ultra is closer in stroke contrast, but then it's too heavy.

All that said, Clarendon is indeed closer in design. I agree with Mike that it was probably used as the starting point.

Funny (not really) that the most copyright abused work of art ever produced has type at its core.

Wasn't this designed by Michael Osborne? He does the LOVE stamps..

The Love Sculpture, paintings and prints are by Pop Artist, Robert Indiana. started doing them in 1960s, still at it today on Vinalhaven Island in Maine

Funny you should start this thread. I was looking for the same font a while back & Clarendon indeed came closest, but it's definitely not an exact match. If you look at the numbers Indiana used in his work, you'll clearly see the differences...

http://www.gallerybrown.com/indiana/indiana_numbers.jpg

BTW How do I add an image to my reply? ;-)

Image technical requirements:
The best way to post an image is to use the “Insert Image” function below the “Comments” box. To utilize this function, you must have the Flash 8 player installed. If you have an image to accompany your post, please ensure that it conforms to the following guidelines: do not exceed 600 px wide, save images as an RGB jpg/gif/png (tips: gifs are usually crisper for black and white type renderings and not all browsers support png). Also, make sure that your image has a unique name, otherwise typophile may call another image instead of the one you intended to be displayed.
http://typophile.com/readme

Isn't this hand-drawn based on Clarendon? quote from an interview with the artist, …Robert Indiana thinks that most people never stop to think about how beautiful words and numbers are? He said that he thinks his job as an artist is "…to make words and numbers very, very special."
Tim

Google search says Belizio or Clarendon. Which through identifont leads to a few more choices...

http://www.identifont.com/similar?2SA
Similar fonts: Escrow

http://www.identifont.com/show?8LQ
Influenced by: Egizio

http://www.identifont.com/similar?618
Similar fonts: Berlidin, Brawn, Century 731, Clarion, Excelsior, News 702

http://www.identifont.com/similar?HOO
Similar fonts: Computer Modern Roman, Modern No. 20, Scotch Roman

There were plenty of large wooden display types made of Clarendon. They were of more contrast than the metal type. I used them in my typography class in the 60s. Jack Stauffagher stocked our type lab with plenty of big wooden type. Perhaps this was Indiana's model as well?

ChrisL

I always thought the design was influenced by Love Story by Erich Segal pubished in 1970... LOL

It was earlier than that and may have been more a comment on the Viet Nam war and the "Make Love, not War" sentiment of the time. The Beatles "All You Need is Love" might have been more instrumental in the thinking than the movie.

ChrisL

Yep Chris - do we wind up that old Victrola and start playing Linda Hopkins "Those Were The Days My Friend..." we thought they'd never end... we sing and dance - forever and a day... hmmm, hmmm hmmmmmmm

Meanwhile - short article about Robert Indiana (but the poster is no longer for sale) if you are interested: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art28682.asp

Also, I just looked at the old cover of Love Story - I can see why my memory banks lumped them together... :-)

>All You Need is Love

And there I was at my neighbor's flat in London, watching the first ever Europe-wide live broadcast of the song contest. And the Beatles started singing their entry (had they won yet?): "Love, love, love..." And Mick Jagger was singing along.

For some of us, the good old days.

Well, even those of us who weren't there at the time can still appreciate the music & art from the good old days ;-)