An engraver by training, Caslon created sturdy and very readable typefaces, inspired by the Dutch models then imported into England. He made England a typographic nation in its own right.
At a glance
Origin: London, England.
Designer: William Caslon.
Date: 1720s. His first complete specimen dates from 1734.
Evolution
Caslon has had many versions, including Carol Twombly's Adobe Caslon in 1990 and Matthew Carter's Big Caslon in 1994, designed for display.
Famous examples
The first printed versions of the United States Declaration of Independence, in 1776, were set in Caslon. English printers even had a saying: "When in doubt, use Caslon".
Current use
It remains popular in publishing, especially for literary texts and books that seek a classic, warm tone.
Alternatives
Adobe Caslon, Libre Caslon, Baskerville.
Great typefaces glossary
Akzidenz-Grotesk, Arial, Avenir, Baskerville, Bodoni, Caslon, Circular, Cooper Black, Didot, DIN, FF Meta, Franklin Gothic, Frutiger, Futura, Garamond, Georgia, Gill Sans, Gotham, Graphik, Helvetica, IBM Plex, Inter, Minion, Montserrat, Myriad, Neue Haas Grotesk, Optima, Poppins, Roboto, Sabon, SF Pro, Source Sans, Source Serif, Times New Roman, Univers, Verdana