Originally designed in c. 1886 by John F. Cumming and sold as Quaint with Quaint Open by the Dickinson Type Foundery. Also known as Serie Bohème by Società Urania, Falstaff by Società Augusta, and Othello (solid) with Desdemona (open) by Karl Brendler, Vienna. [Reichardt]

“In the 1960s, John McConnell revived Desdemona when he and Chris Dubber started Face Photosetting, one of the first of European advertising type companies in London.” — Ascender Fonts. A solid version of Desdemona was issued by Face and Letraset.

Digital versions include Desdemona (open) by David Berlow for Font Bureau (1992), Desdemona Black and Open by Richard Beatty (1994), and Quaint Gothic by Jim Spiece.