Baskerville

transitional serif typeface released in 1757 when birmingham printer john baskerville published his virgil after seven years developing type, ink, and paper. the metal punches were cut by john handy, who baskerville hired in 1750 and who worked for him until his death. baskerville commissioned james whatman the elder to refine his paper moulds to produce the wove paper needed for the lighter impression his delicate letters required. after his death his types were purchased by french dramatist pierre-augustin caron de beaumarchais, and the punches and matrices sat unrecognized until 1917, when bruce rogers revived the face.