Folio (typeface)

Category Grotesque sans-serif
Designer(s) Konrad Bauer and Walter Baum
Foundry Bauer foundry

Folio is a realist sans-serif typeface designed by Konrad Bauer and Walter Baum in 1957 for the Bauersche Gießerei (in English: Bauer foundry). Bauer licensed the design to Founderie Typographique Francaise for sale in France under the name Caravelle.

Like Helvetica and Univers, which were also released at the same time, it is part of the International Typographic Style and modeled after Akzidenz-Grotesk. However, Folio is more closely modeled on Akzidenz-Grotesk than the other two, which have larger x-heights. Due to good marketing, the typeface experienced moderate success in the United States. The typeface family was extended in 1963, adding an Extra Bold weight and a Bold Condensed width.

The cold type version was issued by Hell AG.

Visual Distinctive Characteristics

Characteristics of this typeface are:

lower case: square dot over the letter i. double storey a.

upper case: the capital Q's tail is centered under the figure, the uppercase J has a slight hook, and there are two versions of uppercase R, one with a straight tail and one with a curved tail.

figures:

References