1917 Book of Letters: fun examples of Greek Type Design

Jacob Casal

I inherited this book some years ago when my grandfather passed away, it is titled Πληρες Αγγλο-Ελληνικον Επιστολαριον [Complete Anglo-Greek Letter Book], subtitled with the contents of Εμπορικας, Οικογενειακας, Φιλικας Και Ερωτικας Επιστολας. Επισης Προσκλησεις Γαμων, Εσπεριδων, Χορων, Γευματων Και Προποσεις [Commercial, Family, Friendly and Love Letters. Also Invitations to Weddings, Evenings(?), Dances, Meals and Toasts].

I thought it would be fun to share some of the interesting Greek display type used for the headers within. Pretty neat!

Andreas Stötzner

thanks for showing – Ευχαριστώ πολύ!

Vassilis Georgiou

Very nice samples. 

“Εσπερίδα” was an evening social event, something like a soiree.

I also have a few sample images of advertisements from that era (found on the internet). I think they fit here.

Pretty excessive use of type styles:

John Savard

Not that I'm trying to spoil anyone's fun here, but although the expert typographers on this forum already know this, for the information of any neophytes who might be passing by, I must note that many of the distinctive typefaces shown in the samples here derive from typefaces made for the Latin-alphabet market. Thus, from an 1897 ATF catalog, here are...

Washington

and Samoa

Samoa may have died, but Washington lived on in the covers of many ACE paperbacks.

Jacob Casal

Excellent samples from you too Vassilis!

And no worries John, I had a feeling that might be the case with it being printed in America, the additions for Greek that they did make are still fun in their own right.