Legibility Group

Ionic No. 5, Linotype, 1925 The first of Linotype's Legibility Group, developed in-house under Chauncey H. Griffith for newspaper text set on hot metal machines. It avoided fine lines and serifs that would break down in stereotyping, and small openings that would fill with ink, so it stayed legible at small sizes on the harsh presses of the day. It was an immediate success: in less than 18 months nearly 3,000 newspapers around the world were using it. The tall x-height that made it so readable had a cost, since it widened the lowercase and blurred the difference between n and h. Later members such as Excelsior and Corona refined the formula, and Monotype has revived Ionic No. 5 for designers who want that sturdy newsprint voice.