Old gag. New typeface. L&C Hairline – print ad, Cooper & Beatty, Jim Donoahue, c1969

L&C Hairline, released in 1966, was a striking display typeface born from the collaboration between graphic designer Herb Lubalin and lettering artist Tom Carnase. The remarkable New York duo revisited the concept in 1972 with L&C Stymie Hairline, but it never managed to achieve the same level of popularity as its predecessor.

Jim Donoahue, Type Director at Cooper & Beatty, captured the playful spirit of L&C Hairline in this deliberately corny advertisement. His design not only reflected the face’s irreverent nature but also showcased its unique alternate characters in the punchline of the joke.

The two piano players are also typographic figures. In the era of metal type, foundries sold ‘cuts’– small engraved illustrations that functioned as an early form of clip art. These figures, usually identified by number rather than name, provided an affordable way for printers – especially in small towns – to enhance advertisements and announcements with visual elements.

During the photo era it was a fairly common practice to photograph these cuts from old metal type specimen book for use in ads. Later, some of these designs were digitized and continue to be used today, preserving a unique typographic tradition. – Rod McDonald

Artifact Text

“Do you know C&B have L&C Hairline?”
“No, but hum a few bars and I’ll fake it.”
Old gag. New typeface. L&C Hairline. Cooper & Beatty, Limited have it. Caps. Upper & lower. Numerals, and very amusing alternate characters.