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ITC Franklin Gothic™ LT

By ITC

Morris Fuller Benton designed Franklin Gothic for the American Type Founders Company in 1903-1912.

Just as early types without serifs were known by the misnomer grotesque"""" in Britain, and """"grotesk"""" in Germany, they came to be described as """"gothic"""" in America. There were already many """"gothic"""" typefaces in North America by the early 1900s, but Benton's design was probably influenced by popular """"grotesks"""" from Germany, like Basic Commercial, or D. Stempel AG's Reform. Franklin Gothic may have been named for Benjamin Franklin; however, the design has no historical relationship to that famous early American printer and statesman. Benton was a prolific designer, and he designed several other sans serif fonts, including Alternate Gothic, Lightline Gothic and News Gothic. In fact, News Gothic and Lightline Gothic could be seen as lighter """"versions"""" of Franklin Gothic, and may be used together in the right design.

ITC Franklin Gothic is a large set of fonts based on Benton's work, with two skilled artisans behind the revival and expansion. In 1980, Victor Caruso re-drew the original Franklin Gothic and designed several more weights, and in 1991, David Berlow added several condensed and compressed weights. With dozens of weights and styles, this perennial favorite is ready for duty in any situation from tight corners on printed documents to powerhouse arenas on websites.

Recognizable aspects of Franklin Gothic include the two-story """"a"""" and """"g,"""" subtle stroke contrast, and the thinning of round strokes as they merge into stems. The type appears dark and monotone overall, giving it a robustly modern look. Franklin Gothic is still one of the most widely used sans serifs; it's a suitable choice for newspapers, advertising and posters.

Another family with a similarly useful design is Trade Gothicand the new released ITC Franklin from David Berlow..