AM Toscana
CAST · Ian Farnam · 2025
A revival of a 1934 Italian wood type, distinguished by systematically wedge-tapered stems and vernacular semi-condensed letterforms, designed by Ian Farnam.
About
Released in 2025 by CAST, AM Toscana revives a wood type originally issued by Xilografia Meneghello e Belluzzo around 1934, itself possibly derived from Wedge Gothic, an American BB&S cut of 1893. Ian Farnam rationalised the weight and proportions, increased the x-height for contemporary legibility, and redesigned the round letters to echo the characteristic tapering of the stems. The result is a single-style italic with tall ascenders, short descenders and a spiky, top-heavy rhythm suited to poster and editorial display work.
Classification
A revival of a 1934 Italian wood type, AM Toscana is a semi-condensed italic sans with wedge-tapered stems and vernacular letterforms, placing it firmly in the display category rather than a functional text sans.