No. 1 A Book of Type & Design, by Oldrich Hlavsa
An unusual volume of printing and typographic display that was conceived and printed in 1960 in the former Czechoslovakia with an English translation. It is brimming with type specimen pages demonstrating a wide range of typefaces and including occasional illustrations. The use of burnt orange on some pages is quite beautiful and helps to unite the whole book. There is a well-written intro about the history and uses of typography, and throughout there are passages of descriptive text about the type specimens. Oddly, these passages are in 6 & 8-point type, so it takes determination to actually read them instead of simply turning page after page to admire the graphic power. This book was a gift from Pat Reagh, the Sebastopol typesetter and printer (patrickreagh.com)… and is signed in the front by his father.
