Cicero (font size)

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Non Plus Ultra (2 point)

Microscopique (2.5 points)

Brilliant (3 point)

Diamond (4 point)

Pearl (5 point)

Nonpareille (6 points)

Insertio (6.5 points)

Colonel (7 point)

Petit (8 point)

Borgis (9 point)

Body (10 point)

Rhinelander (11 points)

Cicero (12 point)

Medium (14 points)

Tertia (16 point)

Paragon (18 points)

Text (20 points)

Canon (36 points)

Concordance (48 points)

Sabon (60 points)

The Cicero is a medium font size in lead type with a cone height of twelve Didot points , which corresponds to 4.512 mm. The equivalent in twelve DTP points measures 4.233 mm. The double cicero is a font size with two cicero, i.e. 24 Didot points, that is 9.024 mm, or 24 DTP points, that is 8.467 mm.

The origin of the name Cicero cannot be clearly assigned. According to one reading, it is said to have got its name from an edition of Marcus Tullius Cicero's speeches, which Peter Schöffer printed in a similar font size in 1465. Schöffer is said to have cut and cast this font himself. Other sources name the font cutter Ulrich Hans Cicero, who created a font in 12-point size in Rome in the 15th century, as the founder of the name.

Until the end of commercial letterpress printing with lead letters at the end of the 20th century, the unit of measurement Cicero was a generally applicable type of font . After the introduction of modern IT - Satztechnik the measure of the metric unit (mm) was largely replaced because the block processing now largely carried out by untrained personnel typographically. Only the sub-unit, the typographical point (1 Cicero = 12 point) has survived as a designation for font sizes. The uncommon DTP cicero is also called DTP pica or often just pica for short .

The same font sizes have different names in many European countries, or the same names denote different cone heights. Fonts the size of Cicero are called St. Augustin in France , Augustijn in Holland , Pica in England , Cicero or Lectura in Spain and Lettura in Italy . The size double Cicero says in France Palestine , in Holland Palestine , in England Twoline Pica or Double Pica and Italy Palestina .

See also

literature

  • Friedrich Bauer: Handbook for typesetters . 2nd Edition. Klimsch & Co publishing house, 1905.
  • J. Bass: The book printer book . Heinrich Plesken Publishing House, 1930.
  • Fritz Genzmer, Walther Grossmann: The Setter's Book . Gutenberg Publishing House, Berlin, 1939.
  • Leo Davidshofer, Walter Zerbe: Typesetting technique and design . Swiss Book Printer Education Association, 1961.

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