Vincent Figgins
Encyclopedia
Vincent Figgins born in Peckham, England. He was a British punch-cutter and type-founder. He started his career as an apprentice to Joseph Jackson from 1782 until Jackson's death in 1792. Figgins was expected to take over Jackson's foundry, but due financial restraints he could not afford it. The foundry was then bought by William Carlson III. This did not slow Figgins down, that same year he was able to open his own foundry
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edition of David Hume's
The History of England. This was being worked on by Jackson at the time of his death. In 1793 he issued his first specimen book, which included a long bodied English typeface. This consisted of five leaves and was printed by Bensley.
He followed this by producing a number of Roman types for English and Scottish printers.http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=33787759 He is credited with the design of the first slab serif
or Egyptian typeface, which he released under the name Antique in 1815, on which Egiziano Black was based. the first Slab Serif typeface was an outrage to the public. This was designed from scratch without historical reference.
His most influential typeface was Mono-type Ionic, created in 1821, which became widely used for body text
by the newspaper industry. It was the model for many twentieth century newspaper typefaces.
Type foundry
A type foundry is a company that designs or distributes typefaces. Originally, type foundries manufactured and sold metal and wood typefaces and matrices for line-casting machines like the Linotype and Monotype machines designed to be printed on letterpress printers...
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Career
His first important commission was to make a facsimile type for Macklin's Bible. Bensley, the printer of the Macklin’s Bible (which was originally cut by Jackson) had decided to renew the type and have it correspond with the original. Instead of going to Carlson, who had Jackson's matrices, he asked Figgins. Figgins was then able to make a perfect recreation of the type. He then worked on a similar job to finish the Double Pica type in Robert Bowyer’sRobert Bowyer
Robert Bowyer was a British miniature painter and publisher.Bowyer was born in Portsmouth to Amos and Betty Ann Bowyer and baptized on 18 June 1758. His first job was as a clerk to a merchant in Portsmouth and then London. Two different accounts of his career shift survive...
edition of David Hume's
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
The History of England. This was being worked on by Jackson at the time of his death. In 1793 he issued his first specimen book, which included a long bodied English typeface. This consisted of five leaves and was printed by Bensley.
He followed this by producing a number of Roman types for English and Scottish printers.http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=33787759 He is credited with the design of the first slab serif
Slab serif
In typography, a slab serif typeface is a type of serif typeface characterized by thick, block-like serifs. Serif terminals may be either blunt and angular , or rounded . Slab serif typefaces generally have no bracket...
or Egyptian typeface, which he released under the name Antique in 1815, on which Egiziano Black was based. the first Slab Serif typeface was an outrage to the public. This was designed from scratch without historical reference.
His most influential typeface was Mono-type Ionic, created in 1821, which became widely used for body text
Body text
Body text is the term for the text forming the main content of a book, magazine, web page or other printed matter. This is as a contrast to both the headings on each page, and also the pages of front matter that form the introduction to a book....
by the newspaper industry. It was the model for many twentieth century newspaper typefaces.