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Steelplate Gothic [Robert Wiebking]

This is the name of an engraving face. McGrew writes: Steelplate Gothic is the BB&S equivalent of Copperplate Gothic. Most of the series came from Western Type Foundry when BB&S acquired that concern in 1918. Steelplate Gothic Light Extended was originally Western's Farley, advertised in 1907, while Steelplate Gothic Heavy Extended was Western's Perry, these faces are not quite as wide as the extended Copperplate Gothics (q.v.), and differ in minor details. Other light and heavy versions are very nearly duplicates of Copperplate Gothic. All were cut by Robert Wiebking. Steelplate Gothic Shaded was drawn by Wiebking in 1918; it is uncertain whether he did this for Western just before the takeover, or for BB&S. It has an added fine line to the right and bottom of strokes, and lacks the tiny serifs of the other faces; it was recast by ATF in 1954. Steelplate Gothic Italic, which was Western's Perry Italic, is nearly like Copperplate, but the G lacks a crossbar. Steelplate Gothic Bold comes from the old BB&S Plate Gothic series (q. v.), while the extralight version has the same characteristics. All these faces moved on to ATF when BB&S merged with it in 1929. When the Copperplate Gothics went through a brief period of revived popularity for advertising use in the 1950s, ATF reinstated the two largest sizes of Steelplate Gothic Bold. rather than cutting additional sizes for Copperplate.

Digital versions include Tin Plate (Softmaker) and Steel Plate (Red Rooster).

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