Tales of a Time Traveller

Now we know. We know where Jonathan Hoefler’s outrageous talent come from: he is in possession of the mythical time machine, constantly travelling with his type DoLorean, collecting the most valuable type treasures from all times and all spaces. The evidences can’t lie, we spotted him on a picture published in the 1957 issue of Caractère Noël.

Caractère Noël — 1957 issue.

Indeed during his last visit Gerard Unger shown a couple issues of the French type and graphic annual Caractère Noël, the gorgeous ‘that’s what we can do’ publication’ published every year by the Compagnie Française d’Édition during the late 50’s and 60’s.

Caractère Noël — 1957 issue.

Caractère Noël — 1957 issue.

Caractère Noël — 1957 issue.

Gerard pointed a very interesting comparison with Caractère Noël older brother and model, the famous –not less gorgeous– English Penrose Annual, maybe (?) not as flamboyant but probably more constructed, deep and ambitious.
Two equally infinite sources of fascination anyway.

Penrose Annual volume 58 — 1965 issue.

Penrose Annual volume 58 — 1965 issue.

Penrose Annual volume 59 — 1966 issue.

Matthew Was There!

Ou, l’homme au catogan

Thanks to Gerry, we got invitations to a lecture given by Matthew Carter at the RSA in London.
After some exciting adventures in a unmoving train we finally got there right in time to attempt the show. With emotion we listen too him going through a presentation of some of his emblematic works, explaining with clarity, humour and elegance what ‘hardcore’ typography is. Simon Esterson was there to lead the discussion.

What a nice groupie audience
But a night in London is way longer than a typographic lecture, and, after we enjoyed the glass(es) of wine the event sponsors really wanted us to drink, we had a wonderful magic time in the City, crossing bridges, having diner, jogging over the river, wagga mamming, gossiping in different languages and a lot more fun!
Yvonne and her gansta camera where there too…