Caslon vs Garalde (Old-style)
Caslon evolved from Garalde (Old-style) — the English old-style standard.
Caslon
William Caslon's sturdy English old-style of the 1720s — slightly irregular, immensely practical, and so trustworthy it set the U.S. Declaration of Independence. 'When in doubt, use Caslon.'
- Moderate contrast, inclined-to-near-vertical stress
- Sturdy bracketed serifs, slightly irregular fit
- High-waisted capital A with a pointed apex
- Robust, comfortable, even text color
- Lively, somewhat irregular italic
Garalde (Old-style)
The classic old-style serif — humanist roots refined by Aldus Manutius and the French punchcutters, with moderate stroke contrast, bracketed serifs, and an inclined stress that recalls the broad-nib pen.
- Moderate contrast between thick and thin strokes
- Fully bracketed serifs flowing into the stems
- Angled (oblique) stress, from the broad-nib pen
- Slanted, pen-formed serifs on the ascenders
- Even, warm text color tuned for long reading
At a glance
| Caslon | Garalde (Old-style) | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1722 | 1490s–1700s |
| Discipline | Typography | Typography |
| Region | England, London | Italy, France |
| Family | Serif | Serif |
| Formal traits | old-style, bracketed-serif, oblique-stress, moderate-contrast | old-style, bracketed-serif, moderate-contrast, calligraphic |
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