Merlo Original
Feliciano Type · Mario Feliciano · 2025
A contemporary revival of eighteenth-century typefaces distributed by Madrid type founder Domingo Merlo, offered in four weights with matching italics for text composition.
About
Rooted in the Spanish typographic tradition of the latter eighteenth century, Merlo Original draws on types sold by Domingo Merlo in Madrid, though their punches were likely cut elsewhere, giving the design a recognisably French character. The family runs to eight styles across four weights from Regular to Bold, each with a matching italic, and features an extended glyph set optimised for continuous text. A first version of the typeface was reviewed by Matthew Carter as far back as 1998; this 2025 release represents a thorough reinterpretation of that earlier work.
Classification
A revival of eighteenth-century typefaces distributed by the Madrid type founder Domingo Merlo, placing it within the transitional serif tradition of that period, with acknowledged French influence in its forms.