This overview of the production of transfer type between the 1960s and the early 1990s will look at the most prominent brands (Chartpak, Letraset, Mecanorma, Zipatone, et al.) and the various licensed and original typefaces that they distributed. Details will include the challenges and advantages of working with transfer type, the prominence of certain typefaces across multiple brands, the development of original designs by certain brands, and the spread of designs and genres across international markets.
Dan Rhatigan is a typographer with more than 30 years of eclectic experience as a typesetter, graphic designer, typeface designer, and zine publisher — including a number of years working as Type Director for Monotype and as the Senior Manager for Type Development at Adobe Fonts. He currently works with Type Network as its Director of Type Products, and has been developing projects for his own foundry, Bijou Type. He is a board member of the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum, and looks after a growing archive of material related to Letraset transfer type.
Instagram @bijoutype
Twitter @ultrasparky
