The Year In Pictures… In Type

This little gem was unearthed on Googlebooks by fellow Typophile, FontFeed reader and Facebook friend Simon Robertson. He found this cover for Life magazine dating from December 29, 1972. The special double-sized issue gives an overview of the year 1972 in pictures. Strangely enough though, the cover shows no photos at all. Instead it lists all the events chronicled in the issue in a variety of different typefaces.

Such documents are valuable reference material that tell us what typefaces were popular in certain periods of time, and this cover reveals the "hot faces" of the early seventies. Of course I couldn't resist when Simon – indirectly – challenged me in his Facebook status message.

Great cover – the year in pictures, yet none used for the cover! Typefreaks, can you name all the typefaces? I can't :-)

Brace yourselves, here they are. Please be aware that specific characters may differ from the currently available digitised versions, like for example the alternate capital "A" in Memphis. The big white headline is set in Futura Display; the orange type in the background (in alphabetical order):

AuroraBeton & Beton Condensed (check the very peculiar Bold weight)CaslonSomething similar to ITC Century, but obviously predating it by ten yearsCheltenham (outlined)ClarendonCooper BlackDidotEurostile/MicrogrammaFolio (I don't think it's Helvetica, although the light italic R doesn't match) & Folio CondensedFuturaGaramont AmsterdamGoudy Old StyleKabel (the original, not the ITC version)Melior (I'm not entirely sure; definitely a Hermann Zapf design)MemphisNews Gothic/Trade GothicPeignotStymieTimesWindsor

Do you see a typeface that I missed, or do you think I misidentified one? Let me know in the comments.

In related news – fans of magazine covers should head over to the NMCA website I recently discovered through the Grafik magazine fan page on Facebook.

The Nation Magazine Cover Archive is a non-commercial "hobbysite" devoted to helping keep inspirational magazine design alive. These are strange days for editorial designers with homogenisation and closure of many well known (and loved) titles and independent publishers emerging to fill the gaps. Just don't forget to vote with your feet! Support quality magazines. Don't let them die.