Bernhard Gothic is a family of geometric sans serif typeface designed by Lucian Bernhard in 1929 for the American Type Founders (ATF). Five variations by Bernhard were introduced over two years:

  • Bernhard Gothic Medium (1929)
  • Bernhard Gothic Light (1930)
  • Bernhard Gothic Light Italic (1930)
  • Bernhard Gothic Medium Italic (1930)
  • Bernhard Gothic Heavy (1930)
  • Bernhard Gothic Extra Heavy (1931)
Bernhard Gothic
CategorySans-serif
ClassificationGeometric
Designer(s)Lucian Bernhard
FoundryAmerican Type Founders
Date released1929 - 30
Re-issuing foundriesIntertype
Design based onFutura, Kabel
Also known asGreeting Gothic
Bernhard Gothic sample text
Sample

A final member of the family, Bernhard Gothic Medium Condensed, was introduced by ATF in 1936, but it is unclear as to who the designer was.[1]

Bernhard Gothic is more organic and less regular than other geometric sans-serif typefaces, including Futura, Kabel, and Twentieth Century, showing influence of Bernhard's earlier more expressionistic faces. It is a "spurless" design, similar to the contemporary Semplicità and Universal Grotesk and more recently FF Dax, in which strokes end without terminals.[2][3] This gives an effect of modernism, detached from handwriting conventions.[2]

Hot metal copies

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Intertype's 1936 copy was called Greeting Gothic.[4]

Digital copies

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Digital copies are available from Elsner+Flake, Font Company, URW++, Berthold, Spiece Graphics, Monotype Imaging and FontHaus.

References

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  1. ^ MacGrew, Mac, "American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century," Oak Knoll Books, New Castle Delaware, 1993, ISBN 0-938768-34-4, pp. 32 - 33.
  2. ^ a b Shaw, Paul. "Overlooked Typefaces". Print magazine. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  3. ^ Biľak, Peter. "Universal Grotesk". i love typography. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  4. ^ MacGrew, "American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century," p. 33.
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