Named after a historic term for the smallest type sizes that could be cut in metal in the early 18th century – about 7 point – Nonpareille is Swiss expat Matthieu Cortat’s Lyon, France-based foundry.

Named after a historic term for the smallest type sizes that could be cut in metal in the early 18th century – about 7 point – Nonpareille is Swiss expat Matthieu Cortat’s Lyon, France-based foundry. His most recent release is Stockmar, a revival of a circa 1720 baroque face by Johann Rudolf Genath II, the great Swiss typefounder. Originally drawn by Cortat to include, alongside the roman, three italics – more or less geometric; cursive, and dynamic, respectively – it was recently redrawn, including the best features of those three italics into a single large OpenType face replete with ligatures and alternates. The finished face includes much of the angularity of the best early Swiss and Dutch type designers, with the added bonuses of small caps, ligatures, alternates, and diacritical marks for Eastern European languages. Its even color and subtlety make it a terrific choice not just for book and long document typesetting, but also for display work, where its small details can shine.

Original post:
Nonpareille: Stockmar and its Italics