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ABOUT

Jakob Erbar

Born in Düsseldorf in 1878, died in Köln, 1935. A teacher at the Köner Werkschule, he designed these typefaces:

• Candida (Ludwig&Mayer, 1936). Erbar drew the Candida typeface for the Ludwig & Mayer foundry shortly before his death in 1935. The typeface was released posthumously in 1936. An italic designed by Walter Höhnisch was published the following year and a reworked version was produced in 1945. Bold weights followed in 1951. Both Candida and the italic are mediocre modern typefaces. Digital revivals: Candida EF (Elsner+Flake), Candida (URW), Candida (Adobe), Candida (Tilde), Candida SB (Scangraphic Digital Type Collection), Candida SH (Scangraphic Digital Type Collection), Candida (Linotype), Candida (Bitstream) and Candida (2021, Michelle Devlin). See this Candida Antiqua booklet by Ludwig & Mayer, ca. 1960.
• Erbar-Fraktur (1936, Ludwig&Mayer). The Fett was published in 1938.
• Erbar Grotesk (1926-1930, Ludwig&Mayer). The Kräftig and halbfett weights are especially attractive, and contributed to the popularity. Some publications mention the time range 1922-1930. Linotype (London) published two weights of Linotype Erbar, and Mergenthaler Linotype four weights of Erbar Condensed. Digital interpretations: Erbar (Linotype), URW Erbar (2009, URW), Erbar AT (Linotype), dT Jakob (Eduilson Wessler Coan and Gustavo Soares at dooType), Journal Sans (designed at the Polygraphmash type design bureau in 1940-56 (project headed by Anatoly Shchukin) based on Erbar-Grotesk; digital revival in 1994 by Olexa Volochay at ParaType; in 2014 designer Olexiy Volochay made some corrections in original digital data and extended character set; The family was re-released by ParaType in 2014), URW Erbar Neo Mini (2010), Neu5Land (2018, a free font by Uwe Borchert).
• Erbar Initialen (Ludwig & Mayer). Dieter Steffmann revived it as the free font Erbar Initialen. See also Eller Initials (2012, SoftMaker) and Kudos Kaps Five NF (2006, Nick Curtis).
• Erbar-Kanzlei (1913, Ludwig & Mayer).
• Erbar Mediaeval (1913-1914, for Ludwig and Mayer). Erbar Mediaeval Lichtfett (1922) is an inline typeface. Erbar Mediaeval inspired Nick Curtis's Jacopo Mediaeval NF (2012, Nicks Fonts).
• Erbar Unziale and Unziale Halbfett (Ludwig & Mayer).
• Feder-Grotesk (Ludwig&Mayer, 1908, an early sans). Later weights came about between 1909 and 1925. Feder Grotesk inspired Olexa Volochay's free web font Federo (2011). Dick Pape's free version is called Initialen Feder Grotesk (2010).
• Grotesk lichtfett (Ludwig & Mayer). An inline typeface designed before 1923.
• Koloss (Ludwig&Mayer, 1923). The art deco typeface Koloss was digitized by many---check for example Koloss SB (Scangraphic), Koloss EF (Elsner+Flake) and Sonrisa (2011, CastleType).
• Lautsprecher (1931, a script typeface at Ludwig&Mayer).
• Lucina (1926, Ludwig&Mayer).
• Lumina (1928, Ludwig&Mayer).
• Lux (1929, Ludwig&Mayer). An inline art deco typeface. Revived in 2021 by Ralph Unger as RMU Luchs.
• Phosphor (1922-1930, Ludwig&Mayer, a very famous inline typeface. Digital revivals: Phosphate Pro (2010, Steve Jackaman (ITF) and Ashley Muir at Red Rooster Collection), Zamenhof (2011, CastleType), Letterpress Phosphor (2009, Marcus sterz at FaceType), Phosphor (Monotype).

Linotype page. Typedia link. FontShop link. Klingspor link.

Catalog of some of his digitized typefaces: they include Canyon (SoftMaker), Humanist Slabserif 671 (Bitstream) and a custom typeface by Reymund Schroeder and Andrej Loll. Various digital versions of Candida. Jakob Erbar typeface showcase.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Jakob Erbar
 [Designer info]
Klingspor Museum page
MyFonts search
Monotype search
Fontspring search
Google search

INTERNAL LINKS
Type designers ⦿ Type designers ⦿ German type scene ⦿ Art deco typefaces ⦿ Modern style [Bodoni, Didot, Walbaum, Thorowgood, Computer Modern, etc.] ⦿ Letterpress ⦿ Dieter Steffmann ⦿