William Caslon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Caslon
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William Caslon I in an engraved portrait by John Faber the Younger
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| Born | 1692 or 1693 Cradley, Worcestershire
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| Died | 23 January 1766 (aged 72–73) London, England
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| Occupation | Gunsmith and type designer |
William Caslon I (born around 1692 or 1693, died 1766) was a famous English type designer. He was also known as William Caslon the Elder. He created special letter designs, called typefaces, that were easy to read and looked great. Because of this, important printers in England and Europe wanted to use his designs. His work completely changed how English letters looked and helped create a unique English style for printing.
Contents
William Caslon's Early Life
William Caslon was born in a place called Cradley, Worcestershire. This was either in 1692 or 1693. He learned how to be an engraver in Birmingham, a city nearby. Engravers carve designs into metal or other materials.
In 1716, Caslon started his own business in London. He engraved parts for guns, like locks and barrels. He also made tools for bookbinders. Bookbinders put books together.
Caslon met many printers through his work. They encouraged him to start a type foundry. A type foundry is a place where metal letters, or "type," are made for printing. William Bowyer, a printer, was especially helpful.
William Caslon I passed away on January 23, 1766. He was buried in the churchyard of St Luke Old Street in London. His family's tomb is still there today.
What Are Caslon Typefaces?
Even though William Caslon is famous for his Latin alphabet designs, his first typefaces were for other languages. These were called "exotic" types back then.
His very first design was an Arabic typeface. He made this before 1725 for a group called the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. After that, he created a Hebrew typeface in 1726. He also made a Coptic typeface, which was first used in 1731.
Caslon's first Latin typefaces were a regular style (roman) and a slanted style (italic). He showed off his new designs in a special book called a "specimen sheet" in 1734.
Caslon's typefaces were inspired by Dutch designs. These Dutch types were the most common ones used in England before Caslon's work.
Why Caslon Typefaces Became Popular
Caslon typefaces quickly became very popular. They were used for many important printed works. One famous example is the very first printed version of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Caslon's types were so well-liked that people started saying, "When in doubt, use Caslon." This showed how much people trusted his designs.
After Caslon died, his typefaces became less popular for a while. But in the 1840s, people started using them again. Today, many updated versions of Caslon typefaces are still used widely.
The Caslon Type Foundry Business
William Caslon I started his own company, the Caslon Foundry, in 1739. This business grew to be very important.
After William Caslon I died in 1766, his son, William Caslon II, took over the company. William II ran the business with help from his wife, Elizabeth née Cartlich.
When William Caslon II passed away in 1778, Elizabeth Caslon continued to manage the foundry. She worked with her two sons, William Caslon III and Henry Caslon. The business was then known as "Elizabeth Caslon and Sons."
Over the years, the ownership of the Caslon Foundry changed several times within the family. It also faced some legal challenges. Eventually, in 1937, another company called Stephenson Blake bought the H. W. Caslon and Co. Ltd. foundry.
Meanwhile, William Caslon III had started his own separate foundry in 1792. This new company was called W. Caslon & Son. It was later sold to Stephenson, Blake & Co. in 1837.
H. W. Caslon and Company Limited Today
In 1998, a person named Justin Howes brought the Caslon foundry name back. He started a new company called H. W. Caslon & Company Limited. They offered a new version of the Caslon typeface.
However, Justin Howes sadly passed away in 2005. After his death, the revived H. W. Caslon & Company stopped doing business. The special typeface they offered is no longer sold today.
Images for kids
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The Caslon family tomb in the churchyard of St Luke Old Street, London.
See also
In Spanish: William Caslon para niños
