Frame
Commercial Type · Paul Barnes, Dan Milne, Thomas Bouillet · 2023
A sharp Caslon-influenced serif by Paul Barnes, originally drawn for Rapha, with head and text optical sizes plus a variable cut.
About
A transitional serif by Paul Barnes, designed for Rapha and rooted in William Caslon I, particularly his 1734 Great Primer with its Dutch seventeenth-century DNA. The family comes in four weights with separate Head and Text cuts and a variable version with axes for weight and optical size. Frame has a large x-height and reduced descenders, with simple, minimally tapered serifs and a matching sharpness in the ball terminals. The italic carries the steepness and regularity of angle seen in some of Caslon's own work, characterful without being distracting. Barnes was assisted by Dan Milne and Thomas Bouillet.
Classification
Commercial Type describe Frame as a transitional serif drawing on William Caslon I, in particular his 1734 Great Primer, with Dutch seventeenth-century influence behind the cut.