# Font nerds! I saw this sexy sans serif... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 7, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230 "2009-07-07T18:28:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![happywaffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee59a6/32.png) [@happywaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happywaffle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/1 "2009-07-07T18:28:48Z")
I was half-watching “Mrs. Pettigrew Lives for a Day” with the wife, but during the closing credits I was struck by the font they were using. It’s got a 30s Helvetica vibe to it, appropriate to the movie, with a crossed-Vs capital W. Its most distinctive letter was the capital J, which is simply a straight line extending below the baseline. I tried the “quiz” at Identifont, but no luck there. Anybody seen a similar font out there, with the straight capital J? ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/2 "2009-07-07T19:51:53Z")
> [@happywaffle](#): > > It’s got a 30s Helvetica vibe to it… Helvetica was invented in 1957, you barbarian. ---
**Author:** ![happywaffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee59a6/32.png) [@happywaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happywaffle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/3 "2009-07-07T19:59:11Z")
Heh. Touché. Rephrased: “It’s got a 30s vibe, and reminds me somewhat of Helvetica.” Or skip the Helvetica altogether. Straight capital J! Crossed capital W! ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/4 "2009-07-07T20:03:48Z")
Absolutely straight? Terminates at or below the baseline? ---
**Author:** ![happywaffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee59a6/32.png) [@happywaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happywaffle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/5 "2009-07-07T20:08:57Z")
It terminates below the baseline. It was either absolutely straight or had such a slight curve that my 42" HDTV couldn’t draw it. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/6 "2009-07-07T21:00:08Z")
The titles were designed by Nic Benns, of Momoco UK; contact information and a clip of the titles are on their website: [http://www.momoco.co.uk/](http://www.momoco.co.uk/) I’d guess he designed or selected the font, and Momoco might be willing or able to direct you to it or a publicly available equivalent. ---
**Author:** ![Kingspades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecae2f/32.png) [@Kingspades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kingspades)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/7 "2009-07-07T21:03:34Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > The titles were designed by Nic Benns, of Momoco UK; contact information and a clip of the titles are on their website: [http://www.momoco.co.uk/](http://www.momoco.co.uk/) > > I’d guess he designed or selected the font, and Momoco might be willing or able to direct you to it or a publicly available equivalent. Believe it or not, **Nametag** , I’m a step ahead of you. I sent them an email an hour or so ago. Of course it’s late at night in the UK, so I don’t expect a response soon. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/8 "2009-07-07T21:14:36Z")
It looks like its [Priori Sans by Emigre](http://www.emigre.com/fontpage.php?SPriSaR.html). ---
**Author:** ![happywaffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee59a6/32.png) [@happywaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happywaffle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/9 "2009-07-07T22:18:42Z")
SDMB blows me away yet again. Thanks guys 🙂 I also emailed Momoco so we should both know soon, but Priori Sans looks pretty darn close. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/10 "2009-07-08T01:42:21Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > It looks like its [Priori Sans by Emigre](http://www.emigre.com/fontpage.php?SPriSaR.html). Hmmm. To my untrained eye, that looks very similar to the very 1930s-esque font the London Underground still uses: [http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/im/SI-T.html](http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/im/SI-T.html) ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/11 "2009-07-08T02:19:19Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Hmmm. To my untrained eye, that looks very similar to the very 1930s-esque font the London Underground still uses: [http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/im/SI-T.html](http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/im/SI-T.html) They may appear similar, but the London Underground actually uses a typeface called [Johnston](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnston_%28typeface%29). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/12 "2009-07-08T04:07:32Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > They may appear similar, but the London Underground actually uses a typeface called [Johnston](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnston_%28typeface%29). That’s it - love it! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/13 "2009-07-08T04:43:44Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > It looks like its [Priori Sans by Emigre](http://www.emigre.com/fontpage.php?SPriSaR.html). Hmm. Anybody else find that lowercase d a little jarring? ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Mood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@Blue\_Mood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Mood)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/14 "2009-07-08T08:15:04Z")
Yes - and the p as well. ---
**Author:** ![Kingspades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecae2f/32.png) [@Kingspades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kingspades)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/15 "2009-07-08T12:41:19Z")
Just got a response to my email about fifteen minutes ago: > [@](#): > > The typeface we used was Neutraface. It’s available from House Industries, who have some well design fonts. > > [www.houseind.com](http://www.houseind.com) > > Kind Regards, > > Nic Benns > Producer // Director > Momoco Trouble is - I don’t think this is the right font! It’s got the crossed W, but the J isn’t just a straight line. ---
**Author:** ![Kingspades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecae2f/32.png) [@Kingspades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kingspades)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/16 "2009-07-08T14:43:52Z")
And then about an hour later I got a second email: > [@](#): > > …and Priori Sans! > > N This one looks to be the right one. It’s made by a company called Emigre that has an [online textsetter](http://typetease.emigre.com/cgi-bin/fontRender) you can play with. I had it write the word “JAWBREAKER” in Priori Sans Regular and it fits **happywaffle** ’s description to a tee. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/17 "2009-07-08T16:36:44Z")
> [@Kingspades](#): > > And then about an hour later I got a second email: > > This one looks to be the right one. It’s made by a company called Emigre that has an [online textsetter](http://typetease.emigre.com/cgi-bin/fontRender) you can play with. I had it write the word “JAWBREAKER” in Priori Sans Regular and it fits **happywaffle** ’s description to a tee. NO WAY REALLY?? Anyways, coincidentally enough, I was looking at House Industries fonts over the weekend, in particular, the [Luxury](http://www.houseind.com/fonts/luxuryfonts) font family. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/18 "2009-07-08T16:56:01Z")
I’d say that Priori Sans has more of an Art Deco feel about it. More [Streamline Moderne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streamline_Moderne) rather than [Bauhaus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauhaus) Modernist. ---
**Author:** ![Kingspades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecae2f/32.png) [@Kingspades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kingspades)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-nerds-i-saw-this-sexy-sans-serif/502230/19 "2009-07-08T20:06:25Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > NO WAY REALLY?? YA RLY! For those of you scoring at home (or even if you’re all by yourself), **Kimmy\_Gibbler** was absolutely right on the money when she identified the font yesterday at 5:14 PM. I, on the other hand, got to swap a couple of pleasant emails with an artist on the other side of an ocean and in the process marvel at the ability I have to look up a movie, find a contact for a company that worked on it, send that person a message with a fairly esoteric question and receive a direct and personal answer, all in the space of sixteen hours. 😃