Typographic Triangulation

Felt pennants with names of colleges or sports teams are what come to mind when I think of graduated type set within a triangle. I have no idea if the ‘pennant’ was ever a popular format for signs, but since there are only two examples in Manhattan that I know of, it’s clearly not very common today.
The 35th St. vintage metal awning of The New Yorker Hotel is one, with thin, art deco-style letters, set against a black background.

The other is a Laundromat on West 79th St. with black mod/deco letters on bright yellow.

Last year I saw some triangular Kiosco awnings in Buenos Aires.


I just want to add here that the graduated lettering on the metal awning is only one of several type styles to be found on the structure of the New Yorker Hotel. I have no doubt that a good sleuth could find enough typographic evidence to piece together the building’s entire 80-year history.

Future Vintage: Eames Century Modern

My brochure from House Industries just arrived in the mail today. It introduces their new collection of fonts, Eames Century Modern. I like to imagine that some blogger, fifty years in the future, will be very excited to discover this at a flea market.

Vans of a Thousand Faces

It’s an age old question: How many fonts fit on the side of contractor’s vehicle?






p.s. For vehicular typography at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, you must visit Jonathan Turner’s Autografik set on flickr, which is “dedicated to graphic design applied to motor vehicles. With a focus on modernist corporate identities of the 60's and 70's.”