Sickle and Font: USSR Fonts

Contents:

• Ordinary typefaces
• Latin typefaces
• Medieval, or Elsevier typefaces
• Elizabethan typeface
• Block typefaces

Regular Typefaces

The most common typeface of the standard was the "Regular Font," developed at the Type Foundry in the Lehman type foundry in St. Petersburg. This typeface included seven weights: Regular Simple, Regular Heavy, Academic, Regular Italic, Aldine Bold Upright, Italic, and Bold. "Regular Font" was widely used in print due to its versatility and legibility. Its variety of styles allowed the typeface to be used in a variety of publications, from textbooks to fiction, making it an important element in the history of typography.

This series stands out among others for its unique design, characterized by elongated characters and high-contrast transitions from thin to thick lines. The upper and lower bases of the letters are accented with lines, and the thickening of rounded characters is executed strictly in a vertical direction. This approach to graphic design gives the text expressiveness and originality, which makes it more appealing to read.

Standard fonts with a density of up to 12 points were used in newspaper texts. Italics were used for small subheadings, notes, and highlights. Larger fonts, 12 and 16 points, were used to emphasize articles and notes. Headings and subheadings were set in capital letters to attract the reader's attention and provide structure to the material.

Aldina's typography emphasized important elements using bold, roman, and italic fonts, with small font sizes used to emphasize important information. Large fonts were used for headlines, which immediately grabbed the reader's attention. Bold fonts were rarely used in newspaper printing, as they were traditionally associated with book publications.

The creators of this standard initially intended the fonts in this series to be temporary and soon replaced by new ones. However, in practice, they remained in the GOST until the very end of the Soviet Union.

"Family Typeface No. 3 Educational" was used to create textbooks, primers, and manuals intended for primary schools. This typeface was partially developed on the basis of the previously existing typefaces No. 6 and No. 11 from the Lehmann and Flinsch type foundry. Later, "Family Typeface No. 3 Educational" was abolished as an independent unit and integrated into the "Ordinary Typeface".

In June 2020, a group of enthusiasts presented the DXOldStandardStudio typeface, a digital interpretation of "Family Typeface No. 3 Educational". It was created using 16-point typeface samples from the Lehman Type Foundry catalog and the "Catalogue of Hand and Machine Typefaces." The DXOldStandardStudio typeface is available in two versions: one preserves the historical original, while the other offers a revised version with modified graphics. This development is of interest to designers and typographers seeking to recreate historical typefaces in a modern digital format.

Latin

The Latin typeface was developed by the German cryptologist and academic Peter Schnorr for the Berthold printing house in 1899. In 1901, he presented a Cyrillic version of this typeface.

The Latin typeface consists of four fonts: light, italic, bold, and italic bold. These fonts are widely used in the design of newspaper headlines, mastheads, and subheadings. Using the Latin typeface allows for the creation of expressive and readable text, making it an ideal choice for print and digital products.

Russian artist Nikolai Piskarev emphasized the advantages of italic fonts, but expressed dissatisfaction with the use of bold fonts. He proposed developing more rigorous bold face variations suitable for title typesetting and recommended using 24-point fonts for all styles. This approach could improve the readability and visual harmony of texts, which is especially important in printed design.

Fonts in this group are distinguished by low contrast between the main and additional lines, as well as acute-angled triangles at the bases of letters and thickened rounded elements in the slant. Headlines set in Latin typefaces have a calm and monochromatic appearance, which made them popular after their introduction into the standard. These fonts were used in more than half of all published books, which testifies to their prevalence and versatility in typography.

Small sizes of Latin light fonts, ranging from 6 to 10 points, were typically used as book fonts, while larger sizes highlighted slogans, quotes, and headings. Font sizes of 12 points and higher were used for newspaper headlines, ensuring emphasis on important information. Using different font sizes allows for effective text structuring and drawing attention to key elements, which is especially important in printed materials and web design. The optimal choice of font size plays a significant role in readability and perception of information.

Medieval, or Elsevier typefaces

This group of fonts includes: Corinna Light, Corinna Bold, Academic Light, Light Italic and Bold. These fonts are ideal for text design, providing high readability and a stylish appearance.

This typeface is distinguished by a slight difference in the thickness of the main and additional lines, which gives the typeset text a more uniform appearance. The endings of the letters are presented in the form of rectangles that smoothly connect to the vertical lines through small roundings. This design enhances the readability and aesthetic appeal of the text, making it more appealing to the eye.

The "Corinna" typeface, created by the Berthold type foundry (typeface no. 24), was developed in 1904, and the Cyrillic version appeared approximately two years later. Technical editor and proofreader Georgy Giglio emphasized that the fonts of this family, despite their apparent simplicity, were not intended for every reader due to their complex style. This circumstance contributed to "Corinna" being considered for exclusion from the standards.

In 1905, the "Academic" typeface was developed at the Berthold printing plant. has three weights. The basis for this typeface was the Sorbonne typeface, created by Paul Wolfeld, the owner of a large printing company in Magdeburg. The Academic typeface quickly gained popularity due to its elegant design and versatility, which made it an ideal choice for educational and scientific publications.

Elizabethan typeface

The typeface, developed at the Lehman type foundry, is based on a historical prototype from the 18th century. At the beginning of the 20th century and during the Soviet period, it was used primarily for the design of art publications. This typeface has a unique style and elegance, making it an ideal choice for typography and design projects related to literature and art.

In 1904, Alexandre Benois's album "The Russian School of Painting" was published, with the text typeset in 12-point font. The Elizabethan typeface in 8- and 10-point fonts was also used by Brockhaus and Efron for the typesetting of the six-volume complete works of Alexander Pushkin. In the preface to this edition, they noted the importance and significance of Pushkin's work for Russian literature, as well as his influence on subsequent generations of writers and poets. This album became a landmark event in the art world, as it not only presented the works of outstanding artists but also contributed to the development of interest in Russian painting in general.

We sought to emphasize the style of our publication by using a specially commissioned typeface, characteristic of the Pushkin era. This decision adds character and uniqueness, creating an atmosphere that reflects the literary traditions of the time.

In the Soviet Union, this typeface was used for the second edition of Lenin's collected works. It was also used in publications of fiction, as well as in literary works and specialized art journals. The typeface became an important element in the design of printed materials, contributing to the popularization of literature and art in the country.

Slab Serifs

The main characteristic of slab serif typefaces, or grotesques, is the equal thickness of the main and additional lines, as well as the absence of underlines or thickenings at the ends of letters. This category includes six fonts: Book Sans Bold, Ancient Black Italic, Display Sans Bold, Sans Bold, Sans Narrow, and Hermes Sans Grotesque. These fonts are ideal for a variety of design tasks due to their versatility and clarity, which makes them popular in print and digital typography.

Fonts of various sizes were used in texts: small sizes of slab serif fonts were used for typesetting notes, quotes, and slogans, while large sizes were used for newspaper headlines. Ornate and decorative fonts have found their way into menus, invitations, and business cards. This font variety allows for the emphasis of important information and adds a unique touch to text, which is especially relevant in modern design solutions.

Clear and simple typefaces such as Palmyra, Manuscript, Triumph, and the 1812 typeface were adopted as standard and continue to be used, while other typefaces were abandoned and are no longer cast. These fonts provide high legibility and aesthetic appeal, making them ideal for various types of printed products and design.

In OST In 1337, the Royal Grotesque typeface, developed at the Ferdinand Teinhardt foundry, was integrated. In 1908, the typeface was acquired by Berthold. Initially, it bore its original name, but was later added to the Display Grotesque typeface. This typeface stands out among others due to its rounded letterforms, the absence of serifs, and uniform stroke width. The exception is the bold grotesque variants, in which the additional strokes are thinner than the main strokes. The grand grotesque typeface has become a significant element in the world of typography, valued for its originality and versatility.

The font families that make up the grotesque family vary in character weight and width, but retain a similar letterform. The exception is Hermes Grotesque, which features upright and horizontal letterforms. Thanks to their simple design and uniform stroke weight, Display Grotesque and Royal Grotesque have become ideal choices for the general reader. These fonts provide excellent legibility and visual harmony, making them popular in print and digital typography.

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