Libraries, Books, and Printing: Biographies

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature Further reading

William Caslon

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2008 | Copyright

William Caslon , 1692-1766, English type designer, b. Worcestershire. He worked first in London as an engraver of gunlocks, then set up his own foundry in 1716. The merits of Caslon's types were rediscovered after a brief eclipse in the popularity of John Baskerville 's types. Caslon's individual letters are less impressive than those of Baskerville and Giambattista Bodoni , but their regularity, legibility, and sensitive proportions constituted a remarkable achievement in design. His typefaces were used for most important printed works from c.1740 to c.1800. One such example is the first printed version of the United States Declaration of Independence. Some Caslon types are still in use. His business was carried on by his eldest son, William (1720-78).

Bibliography: See biography by J. Ball (1974).

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"William Caslon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"William Caslon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Caslon-W.html

"William Caslon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Caslon-W.html

Learn more about citation styles

Caslon, William

The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature | 2003 | | Copyright

Caslon, William (1692–1766), the first English typefounder to make a complete range of Roman and Italic types of his own design, besides cutting Greek and exotic scripts. His types are still in use.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Caslon, William." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Caslon, William." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-CaslonWilliam.html

MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Caslon, William." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-CaslonWilliam.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Readability and revival: the case of Caslon.(Critical essay) Magazine article from: Printing History; 7/1/2011
	Cast an eye over these printing types.(News) Newspaper article from: The Birmingham Post (England); 11/29/2006
	`Publishing Timeline' Takes Readers on A Global Tour Of Civilizations and... Magazine article from: Printing News; 11/13/2000