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User:Typehigh/Type specimen (typography)

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William Caslon's 1734 Specimen sheet, some of which is set in the Caslon typeface.

A type specimen is a publication in which a typeface is shown and presented, detailing what fonts the typeface consists of. These specimen can be used by graphic designers and typographers to judge how a particular typeface behaves on the printed page, and to decide if they want to buy and use the typeface in question. A type specimen usually contains texts set in different point sizes, set under different conditions and in different languages.

History

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Printers and type foundries have issued type specimens since the invention of movable type. A well known type specimen is William Caslon I's (1692–1766) 1734 Specimen sheet.

Present

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Type foundries often still issue type specimens in printed form today, although digital specimens in the form of a PDF are are getting more popular. Some foundries offer both.