Clarendon vs Slab Serif

Clarendon evolved from Slab Serif — the bracketed (Ionic) slab.

Type specimen — Clarendon (Slab serif (Ionic)); shown in Bitter, a close match (OFL)

Clarendon

Robert Besley's 1845 bracketed slab serif — a sturdy, friendly 'Ionic' with curved brackets and ball terminals, designed to bold-face and emphasize text. The first registered typeface design.

  • Heavy slab serifs with curved brackets
  • Low stroke contrast, sturdy even weight
  • Large x-height with broad, robust proportions
  • Ball terminals on a, c, f, r
  • Near-vertical stress, gently modulated strokes
Full Clarendon guide →
Type specimen — Slab Serif (Serif family); set in Roboto Slab (OFL)

Slab Serif

Heavy, blocky serifs as thick as the stems, born for the bold demands of nineteenth-century advertising. Low contrast and squared-off, it shouts where the Didone whispers.

  • Thick, square serifs nearly equal in weight to the stems
  • Low stroke contrast, often near-monoline
  • Bracketed (Clarendon) or unbracketed (geometric) serif joins
  • Sturdy, even, mechanical proportions
  • Large x-height with robust, blocky color
Full Slab Serif guide →

At a glance

ClarendonSlab Serif
Era18451810s–1840s
DisciplineTypographyTypography
RegionEngland, LondonEngland, United States
FamilySerifSerif
Formal traitsslab-serif, bracketed-serif, low-contrast, vertical-stressslab-serif, low-contrast, monoline, vertical-stress

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