A set of caps with solid top and open bottom halves, contoured, shaded and decorated. Originated circa 1820 at Joseph Gillé¹ [source?]. The Bruce type foundry had a similar typeface named Ornamented No. 881 (around 1865), which was revived in the 20th century as Circus by Typefounders of Phoenix (before 1967, but after 1962, continued by Los Angeles Type Founders and now available from Skyline Type Foundry) [McGrew 1993] [Circuitous Root] [MacMillan] Subsequently released from a variety of sources under a variety of names, with small differences in the details. This entry is used unless a specific version can be identified.

Other known versions and aliases include Romantique No. 8 (foundry type, FTF? [source?]), Rome by Filmotype (after c. 1958 and before c. 1974, copied by VGC as M-15), Roma (?), Calliope by Mecanorma (1967, without decoration in the top halves), Circus by Photo-Lettering [1969 Alphabet Yearbook], Madame by Berthold ([Berthold 1974], Circus Caps by Castcraft (“similar to Rome M-14 Romantique No. 8”) [Castcraft 1978].

Digital versions include Madame (Linotype), OPTI Circus Caps (Castcraft, 1990–1994, with stars in the top halves), Maison Luxe (fka Gillé Classic, FontMesa, 2004), and Home Style (FontMesa, 2004).

1) “For many years Joseph Gillé was credited as the original designer of this font however we've recently been contacted by a type historian in France reporting that he could not find any evidence supporting Joseph Gillé as the designer and to the best of his knowledge an artist by the name of Sylvestre may be the true designer.” – Hagemann