Lettering samples for the draftsman, K. van Leeuwen, 1907

>Wunderkammer

Folder, containing 54 lettering samples in colour. Dutch title: ‘Letterboek voor den teekenaar en ambachtsman’.
 From the introduction: “This letter book intends to provide lettering samples to those, who need to employ letters in their profession, either by depicting them directly, either by providing the artwork. […] In contrary to printing type, in this case one could call these ‘drawn letters’. 
This provides an explanation as of why I tend to make a distinction between ‘typography’ and ‘lettering’, the first being the result of using movable type or fonts (graphic domain), the latter being the result of drawing individual letters for a specific use.
About the lettering samples: basically this is a beautiful collection of horrendous letter shapes, constructed by use of the draftsman’s instruments: compass and ruler. One example stands out because of better contrast and proportions: the letter designed by Lauweriks.
Lettering of this kind can still be found on architecture from 1900 – 1920, notably by architects like De Bazel, Lauweriks and the early Berlage (known as the ‘Architectura’-era).
Published in 1907 by G. Schreuders Amsterdam*.

*) G. Schreuders happens to be a great-uncle of Piet Schreuders.