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MMD > Archives > November 2002 > 2002.11.02 > 04Prev  Next


"Roosevelt" Type Font for Aeolian Organs
By Robbie Rhodes

Richard Vance wrote in 021031 MMDigest about a computer font
(typeface) suitable for replicating the lettering on Aeolian pipe
organ nameplates, etc.  Here is an example of its appearance.

 [ np30a.jpg (6 kb) ]

This is a photo of the replica nameplate created by Richard Vance
for his article at http://mmd.foxtail.com/Tech/Cellu/index.html

 [ roosevelt2.gif (3 kb) ]

This image was created using MS-Paint and the Roosevelt type face
at 72 point size.  Then, using Adobe Photo Deluxe, the BMP image
was reduced to 25% and saved as a GIF image file of 8 colors
(8 shades of gray).

The Roosevelt font is freeware, available for both Windows and
Macintosh computers, at   http://www.haroldsfonts.com/  and
http://members.aol.com/fontner/roosevelt.html

Creator Harold Lohner says:

  My version of ROOSEVELT began with a request by Rob Case for the
  font once used on Aeolian pianos and organs. I drew the letters
  from analog examples, regularizing and filling out the set.
  Subsequently another correspondent, Richard Vance, told me the
  history of the design (at right) and showed me more examples of
  the original font in action, prompting the revised version which
  now includes small caps and a more conventional T. (The curvy one
  is now located at | and \.)

  According to Rollin Smith's "The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its
  Music", the font was originally designed for the Roosevelt Organ
  Company. Later that firm was absorbed by Farrand & Votey in
  1893, which in turn was merged into The Aeolian Company. But
  Aeolian kept using the Roosevelt font, because it was so
  elegant. The name comes from Hilborne L. Roosevelt and his
  brother Frank Roosevelt, famous organ builders, not Theodore,
  their first cousin.

Robbie Rhodes

 [ I'll put the illustrations under Restoration Techniques at the
 [ MMD Tech site, http://mmd.foxtail.com/Tech/  -- Robbie


(Message sent Sat 2 Nov 2002, 23:29:06 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Aeolian, Font, Organs, Roosevelt, Type

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