Lining figures and text figures

[jdaw1]

As some of you know, I have a table lamp made from a splendidly large bottle of splendid Port. But it slightly discombobulates me.

The vintage, in big white letters, is typeset in text figures. For those not immediately flustered by this, there are two styles of numbers for typesetting. Numbers can be on the baseline, and the same size as capital letters: lining figures. Or they can be similar to lower-case text, the ‘g’ and the ‘9’ having similarly positioned circles, and similarly positioned descenders: text figures.

So examine the label of the imperial of F85. The elements of similar visual strength to the vintage, “FONSECA” and “VINTAGE PORT” are in upper-case. The “1985” should have been in ‘upper-case’ numbers (lining figures), rather than ‘lower-case’ (text figures). Indeed, the italicised bottling year, 1987, correctly uses lining figures.



However, I acknowledge that this is a minor concern. If all humanity’s problems were listed, this upset might not quite make the first page.

Background reading: David Bergsland, Using numbers in the proper case.

[jdaw1]

This post reserved for purposes as yet undecided.

[DRT]

The multitude of fonts and the fact that the word FONSECA has been printed directly over other important words bother me more than the numbers.

[djewesbury]

I think old-style numerals would have been used in the kind of document of which the Fonseca label is a pastiche. Lining numerals are a more modern innovation; see older metal letterpress posters for examples of what I mean. If I find examples I'll post them.

[djewesbury]

Also, suggesting that typesetting has clear 'rights and wrongs' is a dangerous game and tends to ignore the complex history of the craft.

[AW77]

This might sound superficial, but as long as the juice inside the bottle is good I don't care what the outside looks like.

[djewesbury]

(André, don't tell anyone, but I think you're right.)

[AW77]

(André, don't tell anyone, but I think you're right.)

I won't. And I understand that since you're an artist, this must be kept ultra secret. So please, if anyone reads these lines, please burn your computer.

[djewesbury]

[Alex Bridgeman]

...So examine the label of the imperial of F85...

Do you think he's ever going to get tired of saying this?

[DRT]

...So examine the label of the imperial of F85...

Do you think he's ever going to get tired of saying this?

To be fair, he has only been banging on about it since 2008 so there is still time for the novilty to wear off.


Roll forward twenty five years. Grandfather JDAW is sitting in his wing-backed leather armchair beside a strange looking lamp with a faded black label and little JDAW II sitting on his lap sucking a teaspoon covered in clotted cream. "Little one, did Grandfather ever tell you the story of when he fought the IVDP to allow lamps to be made out of Imperials?"

"leave the child alone, Julian, and eat your liquidised spinach" screams SCP-DFS from the kitchen...

And so the cycle continues.