Scribner’s Magazine poster for Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth
Poster for the serialized debut of The House of Mirth in Scribner’s Magazine (1905). Illustration by David Ericson. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
A gorgeous poster for Edith Wharton (1862–1937)’s 1905 novel, The House of Mirth, which was serialized in Scribner’s Magazine, beginning in January 1905. It was illustrated by David Ericson (1869–1946).
Apart from the magazine’s name, the poster is set entirely in Post Oldstyle Roman No. 2 (1900), featuring the alternate long-legged R and O/o with a diagonal weight contrast axis, which were included in the font in addition to more conventional forms. You can also see two instances of o’s with an upright contrast axis.
As Mac McGrew notes,
Post Oldstyle Roman No. 1 and No. 2 were designed in 1900 by E.J. Kitson, Saturday Evening Post artist, who had previously drawn each heading separately, and cast by ATF, while Post Oldstyle Italic was patented by Herman Ihlenburg in 1903. They are based on the lettering of Guernsey Moore [1874–1925], No. 2 being a heavier version of No. 1 […]
The poster measures 57×39 cm and was printed in color by the Grignard Lith. Co. It forms part of the artist poster filing series (Library of Congress).
