Die Neue Typographie (1928)

Allow us to just copy-and-paste most of the description of this book as written in Shaping Typography. Read it with care and keep in mind that what we’re offering is from the collection of Inge Druckrey.

Die neue Typographie was not only Tschichold’s first major statement on typography but also one of the earliest manuals devoted to the subject. The evolution from “Elementare Typographie” is evident not only in the book’s more refined design but also in the author’s increased confidence and the expanded scope of his concerns. Published by the Bildungsverband der Deutschen Buchdrucker in an edition believed to number 5,000, it quickly sold out.

The book’s physical form sets the tone from the outset. Its black linen binding with silver-blocked spine remains strikingly modern, even today. At the same time, the softness of the boards suggests a tactile sensitivity typical of Tschichold’s work. The famous title spread—an asymmetrical layout with all-capitals sans serif type facing a solid black page—became an emblem of the book’s legendary status. Long after the text was unavailable, this image alone circulated widely, particularly in the English-speaking design world, where few had read the book but many recognised its visual impact.

The book addresses both the present and the past. Tschichold discusses The Old Typography (1440–1914) and the emergence of the new and its relationship to modern art. Throughout his life, he referred to the history of printing—finding in it both lessons and follies—to construct arguments for contemporary practice.

And it goes on from there. But here we’ll just say that this one of the foundational documents of our field—and a completely magical thing. We’ve loved sharing it with students and random visitors. Now it’s your term to share it (after purchasing it).