Robert Wiebking (1870–1927) was a German-American engraver
typeface designer
Type design is the art and process of designing typefaces. This involves drawing each letterform using a consistent style. The basic concepts and design variables are described below.
A typeface differs from other modes of graphic production su ...
who was known for cutting type matrices for
Frederic Goudy from 1911 to 1926.
Life and career
Robert Wiebking was born in
Schwelm
Schwelm is a town in the district of Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis in the administrative region of Arnsberg within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Geography
Schwelm is situated in the southeast of the "''Ruhrgebiet''", the Ruhr district of Germany, be ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
in 1870, he emigrated to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
in 1881 where his father worked as an engraver for many companies, including the
Marder, Luse, & Co. type foundry. In 1884, Wiebking began working for C. H. Hanson, an engraving company. By 1893 he was in business for himself, cutting type matrices for both the Crescent and Independent Type Foundries. In 1900, with H. H. Hardinge, he formed ‘‘Wiebking, Hardinge & Company’’ which ran the
Advance Type Foundry. In 1914 the partnership was dissolved and Advance merged with the
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
. After Western Foundry merged into
Barnhart Brothers & Spindler
Barnhart Brothers & Spindler Type Foundry was an American typeface company founded as the Great Western Type Foundry in 1873. It became Barnhart Brothers & Spindler ten years later. It was a successful foundry known for innovative type design an ...
, Wiebking began working once again for himself. He then designed type and cut matrices for many foundries and, from 1911 to 1926 (with a few exceptions) he cut all of the matrices for
Frederic Goudy's designs were cut by Wiebking. He taught both Goudy and
R. Hunter Middleton
Robert Hunter Middleton (May 6, 1898 – August 3, 1985) was an American book designer, painter, and typeface designer. Born in Glasgow, Scotland he came to Chicago in 1908 where he studied at the School of the Art Institute. He joined the des ...
how to cut matrices.
Typefaces
Typefaces designed by Wiebking
* World Gothic series, a series in name only, as three only marginally similar faces were brought together under one heading as a marketing ploy to compete with
ATF’s ''Globe Gothic''.
** ''World Gothic'' (
BB&S), originally ''Wesel''.
** World Gothic Condensed'' (1897
BB&S), originally ''Tropic
o. 5'.
** ''World Gothic Italic'' (1897
BB&S), originally named ''Dewey
o. 5' in honor of
Admiral Dewey
George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, with ...
.
* Engravers Roman + Bold (1899,
BB&S, later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
.
* Typo Script (1902,
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
), later known as ''Tiffany Script.'' Usually credited to
Morris Fuller Benton, but attributed to Wiebking by
R. Hunter Middleton
Robert Hunter Middleton (May 6, 1898 – August 3, 1985) was an American book designer, painter, and typeface designer. Born in Glasgow, Scotland he came to Chicago in 1908 where he studied at the School of the Art Institute. He joined the des ...
.
*
Steelplate Gothic series a knock-off of
Goudy’s ''
Copperplate Gothic
Copperplate Gothic is a typeface designed by Frederic W. Goudy and released by American Type Founders (ATF) in 1901.
While termed a "''Gothic''" (another term for sans-serif), the face has small glyphic serifs that act to emphasize the blunt ...
,'' they were originally cut for
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
under various names, and then renamed when that foundry was bought out by
Barnhart Brothers & Spindler
Barnhart Brothers & Spindler Type Foundry was an American typeface company founded as the Great Western Type Foundry in 1873. It became Barnhart Brothers & Spindler ten years later. It was a successful foundry known for innovative type design an ...
. When BB&S was in turn bought out by
American Type Founders (owners of the original
Copperplate) most of the line was dropped.
** ''Farley'' (1907,
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
), later renamed ''Steelplate Gothic Extra Light Extended'' by
BB&S and later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
.
** ''Perry'' (
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
), later renamed ''Steelplate Gothic Heavy Extended'' by
BB&S and later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
.
** ''Perry Italic'' (
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
), later renamed ''Steelplate Gothic Italic'' by
BB&S and later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
.
** ''Steelplate Gothic Extra Light'' + ''Steelplate Gothic Light'' + ''Steelplate Gothic Light Condensed'' + ''Steelplate Gothic Heavy'' + ''Steelplate Gothic Heavy Condensed'' + ''Steelplate Gothic Bold'' (
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
, later
BB&S, still later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
)
**''Steelplate Gothic Shaded'' (1918,
BB&S later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
), known in England as ''Spartan Outline''.
*
Artcraft series
** ''Craftsman'' (1912,
Advance Type Foundry) When Advance was taken over by
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
, the face was renamed ''Art-Craft''. This was shortened to one name, ''Artcraft'', when Western was taken over by
Barnhart Brothers & Spindler
Barnhart Brothers & Spindler Type Foundry was an American typeface company founded as the Great Western Type Foundry in 1873. It became Barnhart Brothers & Spindler ten years later. It was a successful foundry known for innovative type design an ...
. The line was retained by
American Type Founders when, in turn, it bought out BB&S.
** ''Artcraft Italic'' (1912,
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
), later
BB&S still later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
)
** ''Artcraft Bold'' (1913,
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
), later
BB&S still later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
)
* Modern Text (1913,
Advance Type Foundry, later
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
and
BB&S).
*
Caslon series
** ''Caslon Catalog'' (1913,
Advance Type Foundry, later
BB&S, still later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
)
** ''Caslon Clearface + Italic'' (1913,
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
, later
BB&S, still later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
)
** ''Caslon Light Italic'' (1922,
BB&S)
* Invitation Text (1914,
BB&S, later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
).
* Rogers Roman (1915,
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
), later renamed ''Engravers Litho Bold'' by
BB&S who then added a ''Bold Condensed'' and a ''Bold Condensed Title''. The line was retained by
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
after the merger.
* Advertisers Gothic series (1917,
Western Type Foundry
Western Type Foundry was founded in 1901 to compete with the conglomerate and near-monopoly, American Type Founders. In 1914 Western purchased the Advance Type Foundry in Chicago from ''Wiebking, Hardinge & Company'', though even before this Ro ...
, later
BB&S, still later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
). The outline faces are cut to register with the solid type for two-color work.
** ''Advertisers Gothic''
** ''Advertisers Gothic Condensed''
** ''Advertisers Gothic Outline''
** ''Advertisers Gothic Condensed Outline''
* Square Gothic (1920, Laclede Type Foundry, later
Ludlow), a knock-off of
Benton’s Franklin Gothic
Franklin Gothic and its related faces are a large family of sans-serif typefaces in the industrial or grotesque style developed in the early years of the 20th century by the type foundry American Type Founders (ATF) and credited to its head desig ...
.
* Munder series
** ''Laclede Oldstyle'' (1922, Laclede Type Foundry), when Laclede was bought out by
BB&S this face was re-cut as ''Munder Venetian'' and named in honor of
Norman T. A. Munder dean of American printers.
** ''Munder Venetian'' (1924,
BB&S, later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
). Copied by
Stephenson Blake
Stephenson Blake is an engineering company based in Sheffield, England. The company was active from the early 19th century as a type founder, remaining until the 1990s as the last active type foundry in Britain, since when it has diversified in ...
as ‘‘Verona’’.
** ''Munder Bold'' (1925,
BB&S, later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
)
** ''Munder Italic'' (1926,
BB&S, later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
)
** ''Munder Bold Italic'' (1927,
BB&S, later
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
)
*
Bodoni Series
** ''Bodoni Light + Light Italic'' (1923,
Ludlow)
** ''True-Cut Bodoni + Light Italic'' (1928,
Ludlow), modeled on original samples of
Bodoni’s work at the
Newberry Library
The Newberry Library is an independent research library, specializing in the humanities and located on Washington Square in Chicago, Illinois. It has been free and open to the public since 1887. Its collections encompass a variety of topics rela ...
.
Type Matrices cut by Wiebking
* Pabst Old Style or Pabst Roman (1902,
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
), based on hand lettering done by
Frederic Goudy for advertisements for the
Pabst Brewing Company, though commissioned by a
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
department store. Cast by
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
with the proviso that the department store would have the exclusive use of the font for a time before it would be offered to the public. This was the first of many collaborations by
Goudy and Wiebking.
** ''Pabst Roman Italic'' (1903,
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
)
*
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
(1903,
Wiebking, Harding & Co.[ Lawson, Alexander, '' Anatomy of a Typeface,''David R. Godine, Publisher, Boston, 1990, , p. 112.]), design by
Goudy. Originally designed for
Kuppenheimer & Company, who later decided it would be too expensive to cast, it was later bought by Frederick Sherman. The mats are still extant and cast by
Dale Guild Foundry.
* Baron’s Boston News Letter (1904,
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
), a private face designed by
Frederic Goudy for Joseph Baron’s financial newsletter.
* Norman Capitals (1910,
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
), designed by
Frederic Goudy for
Munder-Thompson Company, a
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
printing firm, and named for Norman Munder.
* Klaxon (1914, cut for
Klaxon Auto Warning Signal Company), designed by
Frederic Goudy
*
Centaur
A centaur ( ; grc, κένταυρος, kéntauros; ), or occasionally hippocentaur, is a creature from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse.
Centaurs are thought of in many Greek myths as being ...
(1914,
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
), a private type for the Museum Press of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
designed by
Bruce Rogers.
* Hadriano Title (1918,
Lanston Monotype
Monotype Imaging Holdings Inc., founded as Lanston Monotype Machine Company in 1887 in Philadelphia by Tolbert Lanston, is an American (historically Anglo-American) company that specializes in digital typesetting and typeface design for use with ...
), designed by
Frederic Goudy
* Goudy Open (1918, Village Letter Foundry + 1924,
Monotype Ltd.), designed by
Frederic Goudy
** ''Goudy Modern'' (1918, Village Letter Foundry + 1924,
Monotype Ltd.), basically just a “filled in” version of ''Goudy Open'', designed by
Frederic Goudy.
** ''Goudy Open Italic + Modern Italic'' (1919, Village Letter Foundry + 1924,
Monotype Ltd.), designed by
Frederic Goudy
* Collier Old Style (1919,
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
), designed by
Frederic Goudy for
Proctor & Collier, a
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
advertising agency.
* Lining Gothic (1921, nc), drawings by
Frederic Goudy for this face were complete, but when Wiebking was late in cutting the matrices, the order was canceled.
* Nabisco (1921, privately cast), cut by
Frederic Goudy for the
National Biscuit Company
Nabisco (, abbreviated from the earlier name National Biscuit Company) is an American manufacturer of cookies and snacks headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey. The company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Mondelēz International.
Nabisco's ...
based on the hand-lettered logotype he had done for them twenty years before.
* Marlborough (1925), a private face designed by
Frederic Goudy for a printer who lost interest in the project before completion. The design was sold to
Lanston Monotype
Monotype Imaging Holdings Inc., founded as Lanston Monotype Machine Company in 1887 in Philadelphia by Tolbert Lanston, is an American (historically Anglo-American) company that specializes in digital typesetting and typeface design for use with ...
who, evidently, did nothing with it.
* Newberry Binding Type (1935,
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
) Drawings by
Ernst F. Detterer Ernst Frederic Detterer (1888, Lake Mills, Wisconsin – 1947, Chicago) was an American calligrapher, teacher, and typographer. He studied at Moravian College and the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art where he took classes in le ...
, metal patterns by
R. Hunter Middleton
Robert Hunter Middleton (May 6, 1898 – August 3, 1985) was an American book designer, painter, and typeface designer. Born in Glasgow, Scotland he came to Chicago in 1908 where he studied at the School of the Art Institute. He joined the des ...
, matrices cut by Wiebking, cast in brass by
American Type Founders for the
Newberry Library
The Newberry Library is an independent research library, specializing in the humanities and located on Washington Square in Chicago, Illinois. It has been free and open to the public since 1887. Its collections encompass a variety of topics rela ...
.
External links
Samples of Wiebking's fontsby
MyFonts
MyFonts is a digital fonts distributor, based in Woburn, Massachusetts. It was created by Bitstream Inc., launched in September 1999 (during the ATypI conference in Boston), and started selling fonts in March 2000.
In November 2011, Monotype Ima ...
.
References
* MacGrew, Mac, "American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century," Oak Knoll Books, New Castle Delaware, 1993, .
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wiebking, Robert
German typographers and type designers
1870 births
1927 deaths
People from Schwelm
American typographers and type designers