Daphne
We are delighted to announce a new addition to our Georg Salden Library: Daphne, a typeface designed by Salden in 1970. It was inspired by bold, italic letters with large swashes, written using a broad nib pen for an invitation. For Daphne, Salden designed numerous calligraphic swashes that can be added to various individual letters. Although it was initially intended for Berthold's Staromat, the foundry couldn’t fully accommodate the design, so Salden decided to publish the typeface himself. The digital version uses OpenType features to apply these swashes. Since many swashes fit different characters, the possible combinations are endless. The inclusion of alternate and full swash characters offers even more design possibilities, making Daphne a distinctive tool for designers with a calligraphic flair.
Daphne features bold strokes, high contrast, and calligraphic swashes, which give the typeface an elegant and characterful appearance.
Daphne is based on a text written by Georg Salden in the 1960s for a Düsseldorf hat shop, using a broad nib pen (see images).
Early sketches.
Prints of the Staromat typesetting machine for photosetting.