User:Typehigh/Type specimen (typography)

William Caslon's 1734 Specimen sheet, some of which is set in the Caslon typeface.

A type specimen is a publication in which a typeface is shown and presented, detailing what fonts the typeface consists of. These specimen can be used by graphic designers and typographers to judge how a particular typeface behaves on the printed page, and to decide if they want to buy and use the typeface in question. A type specimen usually contains texts set in different point sizes, set under different conditions and in different languages.

History

Printers and type foundries have issued type specimens since the invention of movable type. A well known type specimen is William Caslon I's (1692–1766) 1734 Specimen sheet.

Present

Type foundries often still issue type specimens in printed form today, although digital specimens in the form of a PDF are are getting more popular. Some foundries offer both.