The Art & Practice of Typography / A Manual of American Printing, Including a Brief History up to the Twentieth Century, with Reproductions of the Work of Early Masters of the Craft, and a Practical Discussion and an Extensive Demonstration of the Modern Use of Type-faces and Methods of Arrangement

by Edmund G. Gress

BUSINESS CARDS

Polite society requires that a visitor shall be announced by a card bearing his or her name, and the courtesies of business call for this same formality. The man called on unexpectedly is placed at a disadvantage if he has not understood the visitor’s name and has no idea of his business. A card that clearly tells both name and business prevents embarrassment and misunderstanding.

The card makes it unnecessary for the caller to explain who he is. Without the printed information he would likely need to introduce himself thus: “I am James Johnson. I am president of the Johnson Manufacturing Company. We manufacture machinery for the making of paints. Our office is at 320 Broadway. Our telephone number is Worth 4653.” But with all this neatly printed or engraved on a card, dignity is maintained and embarrassment avoided.

The sizes of business cards are far from being standardized. Examination of about one hundred business cards showed a range of sizes from 3 × 1½ to 4 × 2½ inches. The size of which there were most and which gave an indication of standardization was 3½ × 2 inches. Fully one-quarter of the cards were of that size. From this investigation it would seem logical for printers to use that size unless the customer orders otherwise.

White cards predominated in the lot examined, and this suggests that it is in good taste for the printer to use white stock on most of the business cards that he is called on to print.

EXAMPLE 336
The probable result of an attempt to standardize the contents and arrangement of a business card

EXAMPLE 337
Dignified treatment for the card of a well-known house. The firm name and address are subordinated to the name of the person using the card. No business is mentioned, an omission open to discussion

Example [336].—If an effort were made to standardize the contents and arrangement of a business card, the plan presented by this example would probably result. The customer’s name is placed at the point of greatest prominence, a trifle above the center of the card. The words describing the business are second in position under the customer’s name. The street and number are taken care of on the next line, and under the street and number is the name of city or town. In the lower left corner is provision for the representative’s name. The telephone number, for which a business card is frequently preserved, finds place in the upper part of the card. A variant for the position of the street and number and the name of the city or town is in the lower right corner.

Example [337].—Here is a card that is a model of dignity and of simple business-card treatment. A good word can be said in favor of using the individual’s name in the center of the card and the firm name in a less prominent position. When a card is handed to a business man, he looks at it first for the purpose of finding out who it is that wishes to see him. A card of this kind tells him instantly. In many cases the individual’s name alone would be sufficient. No business is mentioned, as it is one of those cases in which it is assumed that the name of the firm provides sufficient identity. In omitting mention of the business, one should make sure that the firm is as well known as he assumes it is. If the name is not familiar to the person receiving it, he will be perplexed, not knowing if the visitor desires to sell him books, insure his life, or buy a bill of goods. In the typographic treatment of this card Cloister Oldstyle, capitals, has been used for the smaller line and Cloister Bold, capitals, for the larger line. This slight contrast in the strength of lettering in many instances gives quality and legibility to steel-engraved and lithographed business cards and stationery. The printer by having a well-designed type-face in two strengths will be able to introduce similar good qualities in his work. The spacing between words on this card is closer than that usually allowed by compositors. Close spacing between words is a quality found in good lettering and in good typography.

Example [338] (Insert).—While the main purpose of this chapter is to encourage the use of typography on business cards, a specimen of hand-lettering is used to point out forceful treatment that, aided by good printing, liberal blank space and high-class card stock, may sometimes be effective for business-card purposes. The printer using a card of this kind would see to it that it was not presented to a prospective customer who had a dislike for anything unconventional.

EXAMPLE 341
The monogram in color adds distinction

Example [339] (Insert).—Conceding that a conventional arrangement on a white cardboard is best for most purposes, it cannot be denied that a design of the strength and interest of this one would often be received with pleasure by the man in the business office. It is not unlikely that the thought would occur to him that the printer who can produce a card of this kind is qualified to design and print publicity matter equally attractive for other purposes. Bewick Roman is the decorative type-face shown. The border and ornaments used are essential to the good results in this design. The card would not be as pleasing with the ornaments or the border taken off. This card, by the way, is one of the good things arranged by Will Bradley back in 1905.

EXAMPLE 343
High-hat-and-frock-coat treatment

EXAMPLE 344
A business card in blocked capitals, with monogram of harmonious shape

Example [340] (Insert).—Quality is added by an attractive black monogram on a background of white supplemented by the gray formed by the type group. This is an interesting specimen of business-card typography, suggestive of architectural panel treatment. The lines (in Cloister Title) are graded in size according to their importance, the telephone line occupying an unusual position between the street address and the name of the city. Because of its position, it also adds a bit of legibility and prominence to both of these lines.

Example [341].—This treatment is similar to the preceding example, with the decorative device in color.

EXAMPLE 342
An uncommon typographic effect

Example [342].—This card is an interesting contrast to those that have just been considered.

Example [343].—Here is a card French in motive and of a style that emits exclusiveness. It almost pictures the high hat and frock coat of the man who would probably use it. All the formalities are observed, the abbreviation “Mr.” preceding the name. The man who uses a card of this kind would no more think of mentioning his business on a card than he would of putting a business sign on his residence. The open-face type is College Title and the italic is Caslon.

Example [344].—An unusual arrangement in blocked Caslon capitals slightly letterspaced. Arrangements of this kind are difficult for the compositor and should not be attempted unless he is not hurried and can experiment with the details of the composition. The shape of the monogram lends itself to the general arrangement.

EXAMPLE 345
Arrangement as suggested in Example [336] with an underprinting decorative device

Example [345].—This is a compact arrangement built somewhat after the scheme outlined in Example [336]. The decorative device in the original was printed in a tint so like the stock that it suggested a watermark.

EXAMPLE 346
Roman capitals with italic lower-case

Example [346].—This card would better please the average person if italic capitals were substituted for the roman. However, there was a historical motive for treating it in this manner. When Aldus Manutius introduced the slanting style of type we know as italic, only lower-case letters were cast, and roman capitals were used with them.

Example [347].—The Germans in the designing of business cards seem to have abolished conventionality, as they endeavor to have each card in its design possess distinct advertising value. This example is representative of such effects.

EXAMPLE 348
Decorative treatment suggested by the business

Example [348].—The designer of this business card took his cue from the word “decorators” and endeavored to form a card with decorative values. This was the reason for the selection of Bewick Roman for the type-face and the Italian ornament to occupy space that is usually left blank on business cards.

EXAMPLE 349
Italic is pleasing on some cards

Example [349].—When dainty effects are desired, Caslon italic, as used on the greater portion of this card, almost always looks well.

Example [350].-A strong ornamental effect, such as appears on this card, is liked by some people, but the printer would make a mistake to use it unless he was sure that the customer would care for it. The typographic treatment is simple and compact and lacks nothing in legibility. The shape of the border corners fits into the space left by the contour of the type group.

EXAMPLE 347
Modern German business-card treatment

Example [351].—An arrangement that has a suggestion of the classic. All lines are in one size and in capitals. This treatment should not be used excepting in special cases, as it would not meet the approval of most customers.

Example [352].—In the amount of matter it contains this card contrasts strongly with Example [343]. Some small business men find it good advertising to give as much information on their cards as the size of the card will allow. This example shows how a great deal of copy was treated so that the general effect was not displeasing. In order to accommodate this amount of copy, it is usually necessary to enlarge the size of the card a trifle. Bodoni was used for all excepting two lines, the firm name and address, which were set in Bodoni Bold.

Example [353].—A decorative card that could be merged in color treatment with an antique-finished stock of some suitable tint.

EXAMPLE 350
A strong design for special purposes

Example [354].—Horizontal lines crossing the face of a card are rarely successful because they usually separate connecting phrases, but in this instance the lines are a necessary part of the design and divide the type matter at a suitable place.

EXAMPLE 351
Classic arrangement in one size of type

EXAMPLE 353
Highly decorative, with possibilities for harmonious color effects

EXAMPLE 354
The horizontal lines are well employed

Example [355].—This card in Bodoni and Bodoni Bold capitals, letterspaced, with the use of a few rules, has distinction that could be successfully carried to other forms of stationery. The contrasting heavy and light rules blend with the heavy and light lines of the Bodoni Bold.

These specimens will convince both printer and user that there is more than “one right way” to design business cards. Typography is the interesting study that it is because, to paraphrase the words of Shakespeare, age cannot wither nor custom stale its infinite variety. Some style of typographic treatment is available to meet the likes and dislikes, preferences and prejudices, of every one using business cards. The strictly conventional person can be supplied with a strictly conventional card, proper in all details. The artistic person, he of the flowing tie, can obtain a card with sympathetic qualities. The noisy huckster can be supplied with a typographic effect that almost shouts the message it contains. In fact, character and personality can be expressed typographically on the business card, and the printer will find this matching of typography with human nature an interesting study.

A large city wholesale house cannot afford to circulate the cheap-looking, inharmonious cards that some owners of small shops on side streets seem pleased to use.

EXAMPLE 352
A business card with a large amount of copy

More than an ordinary amount of thought should be given to the physical construction of a business card. Because of the present great interest in all forms of advertising, more individuality is permissible than formerly. As typography can give distinction and attractiveness to business cards, printers should study the use of type on this class of printing, and give their customers the best possible service.

EXAMPLE 355
Distinctive treatment adaptable for general stationery

Printers are producing cards in imitation of intaglio work to satisfy customers who do not consider that a truly typographic design “looks like a business card.” There is no use denying that copperplate engravers set the style for much of the business-card printing. Shops doing this imitation work should have samples of the best card work done by engravers, so that their imitations may be as accurate as possible, so far as concerns style, face and arrangement. There is little pleasure in being an imitator unless you are a good one, and here is opportunity to gain a reputation for the clever printing of imitation engraved work. Good stock, a dense-black ink and perfect types are means to this end. Pleasing results have also been obtained by using green-black ink or dull gray-black ink, which assists in conveying the soft, pleasing effects of lithography.

EXAMPLE 356
This size of blotter will cut twelve out of a sheet of standard blotting stock. The copy includes a calendar and is representative of the conventional copy usually supplied for blotters. The calendar is arranged without rules. The initial furnishes a spot of attraction, separates the two groups and carries the eye to the beginning of the message