Somewhere between the devil and the deep blue sea, there’s Buccaneer. Its wide, rounded letters swagger across the page, and the swash capitals and decorated initials evoke the beribboned hair and beards worn by pirate captains of yore. Add to this the texture of sea-worn timber and the occasional cutlass slash, and you have a typeface that’s ready to swear a salty oath and wash it down with a swig of rum.
Buccaneer’s designer, Bob Anderton, is a landlubber who runs a design consultancy in York, England. Perhaps his studio’s specialization in design for the travel and tourism industry helped prompt the creation of this fanciful, swashbuckling display face. Or, perhaps Anderton’s love of music, cooking, and growing bonsai conceal past-life experiences as a bloodthirsty pirate. Whatever the source of inspiration, Buccaneer is a seaworthy addition to any type collection.