Letterforms Study Group: Corsivo Inglese in Caratteri—5. Cornuda

June 13, 2025 | Day 5—Tipoteca

Letterpress workshop with Richard Ardagh

This was the busiest day of the workshop. I wrote the introduction and colophon texts and the section titles in Italian (with significant help from Sandro Berra and Riccardo De Franceschi); and designed the title page. Earl set the title page; Yasmin set the introduction with help from her partner Breanna Parolini; Henri set the colophon; and Josse set most of the section titles. The typography of all of these texts was refined by Lucio Botteselle. Printing of these pages was begun by Earl, Josse, Riccardo, and Erin—and completed the next day.

The black run of Riccardo and Erin’s two pages had to be printed on both of the hand presses since they involved the two wood types of varying height. The orange run for the unidentified metal script type and the guidelines on both pages was printed on a cylinder press. Yasmin’s rules were also printed in orange using a cylinder press. One of the hand presses was used for Earl and Josse’s two pages displaying the Stocchetti 004–006 character set; and also for Henri and Gabriella’s page diagramming the Stocchetti spacing system. In both instances Richard hand-inked the type so that he could print both black and orange in one pass.

Richard Ardagh locking up the composition showing the Stocchetti 004–006 spacing system. Note the use of hand-cut cardboard spacing material (foreground right). Design by Henri-Paul Bronsard and Gabriella Miyares. Photograph by Paul Shaw 2025.

Lucio Botteselle checking the position of rules on Yasmin Rodriguez’s Rosaria 030–032 page. Photograph by Paul Shaw 2025.

Richard Ardagh inking “George Bic?ham”, the black run of Riccardo De Franceschi and Erin Roche’s second page. (The ? was used because the Stocchetti 004–006 font lacks a k.) Photograph by Paul Shaw 2025.

Richard Ardagh setting up Josse Pickard and Earl Kallemeyn’s composition for the first page showing the Stocchetti 004–006 character set. Photograph by Paul Shaw 2025.

Earl Kallemeyn spacing one line of the title page. Photograph by Paul Shaw 2025.

Lucio Botteselle and Riccardo De Franceschi discuss the imposition of the section titles. Looking on are Gabriella Miyares and Breanna Pariolini. Photograph by Paul Shaw 2025.

Yasmin Rodriguez setting the introduction. Photograph by Paul Shaw 2025.

Drying of the sheets printed on the hand presses was a worry of Richard’s from the start. The problem was exacerbated by the change in plan of the project which increased the amount of orange ink. Many of the hand-press printed sheets never properly dried, even after pouncing with resin. Consequently, the completed specimen book has offset on some pages.

Sandro Berra and Yasmin Rodriguez pouncing sheets. Photograph by Paul Shaw 2025.

Riccardo De Franceschi and Richard Ardagh discussing the “Bickham” page before the final printing with the Stocchetti 004–006 type. Photograph by Paul Shaw 2025.

Letterforms Study Group: Corsivo Inglese in Caratteri—6. Cornuda