Kelsey Script
The kind people at The Kelsey Company used to sell a font called “Kelsey Script,” that also came in a condensed version. Only the lower case were condensed, the caps were identical to the non-condensed version. The face was quaintly named, “Kelsey Spacesaver Script”. But I digress. Kelsey Script was an obvious version of the Copperplate Scripts, based on the English hands of the nineteenth century. My questions are: Does anyone know if this face was cast by ATF and sold by Kelsey? I assume so. And, second, is anyone casting compatible or similar fonts these days? The Copperplate scripts are difficult to surpass for their elegance. I especially like the “backs” that come with these faces, for extending the line up over the periods, commas and at the ends of phrases.
- Denis
Kelsey Script was ATF’s Typo Script (ATF #399). Kelsey Script Extended was ATF’s Typo Script Extended (ATF #400). I believe Kelsey cast monotype fonts under the name “New England Type Foundry” whereas the ATF fonts were repackaged into smaller fonts or sold as full fonts under the name “Connecticut Type Foundry.” Century became Centenary, Cheltenham became Chelten. Stymie was renamed Egyptian; Huxley Vertical became Embassy Vertical; Brush was renamed Punch; Raleigh Cursive became Tudor Place; Park Avenue was Beacon Hill and the list goes on and on. Monograms and initials were interchangeable terms. The closet thing to to Typo Script available is Ludlow’s Formal Script, which resembles Typo but letters do not quite connect. Quite often there are fonts available on ebay.
S.P., Thanks for the info on ATF’s Typo Script and Ludlow’s Formal Script. Kelsey Script was sold under their Connecticut Foundry name. And yes, indeed, Kelsey did change nomenclatures all over the place. Foolproof has a nice list of their New England Foundry names and the more standard names here: http://www.briarpress.org/16232. I don’t often see Kelsey’s version on ebay or elsewhere, though the similar Typo Script does show up. - D.
To throw more wet wood on the fire and make even more smoke it appears that Los Angeles Type Founders called the Copperplate Script - “Formal Script”. I just emptied a job case with that name on the handle and doing a bit of research to verify the name “Formal Script” I once again came across this problem of ‘changed nomenclatures’. - The 1965 LA Type Founders catalog does indeed list it as Formal Script and it is obviously the same Copperplate Script. Hope this might help someone else down the line.
18 point Copperplate Script.jpg
OOOPS! Image was reversed while I was checking against other online sources. Thought I’d better state that so no one would think their eyes are going bad and they are seeing everything backwards. - PRY-