# What is this 60s/Art Nouveau-ish font? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 16, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104 "2013-06-16T03:06:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/1 "2013-06-16T03:06:19Z")
In the titles, [here,](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/93/261005857_9a5f0b8b41.jpg) for the old series _“Adam Adamant Lives”_? And yeah, I realize that description I gave is a bit of a contradiction…I just couldn’t decide if it was supposed to be more “Edwardian” or “Mod” styled. Whatthefont was no help, last I checked, but I figured there’s at least a chance that it’s actually an existing typeface, and not just hand-lettering. 'Anyone happen to recognize it? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/2 "2013-06-16T03:18:45Z")
It’s distinctly hand-lettered. Whether it’s based on an actual font, though, I couldn’t say. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/3 "2013-06-16T03:25:34Z")
Looks kinda like [mojo](http://www.fontyukle.net/en/1,mojo). [Look what it can do when it’s forced to conform to a shape.](http://www.graphics.com/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=394) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/4 "2013-06-16T03:25:37Z")
It’s similar to a Hobo font, but that’s not quite right… ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/5 "2013-06-16T05:35:45Z")
[Bocklin?](http://www.fontspace.com/george-williams/bocklin) StG ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/6 "2013-06-16T12:40:43Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > [Bocklin?](http://www.fontspace.com/george-williams/bocklin) > > StG I’m thinking you nailed it. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/7 "2013-06-16T12:56:12Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > [Bocklin?](http://www.fontspace.com/george-williams/bocklin) Hey! That one was on my toy magicians kit I had back in '73. You brought back memories. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/8 "2013-06-16T13:20:10Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > I’m thinking you nailed it. That looks nothing like the OP’s lettering. Well, maybe it has a similar feel, but the letterforms are quite different. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/9 "2013-06-16T14:43:01Z")
Mrs. Evil Captor, a professional graphic artist, identifies the typeface as a variant of Metropolitan. Used in the subways in France, she says. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/10 "2013-06-16T14:52:57Z")
Yeah, that one is much closer in form and feel to what’s in the OP. Not the same, but I’d bet the lettering was inspired by Metropolitan. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/11 "2013-06-16T14:54:26Z")
A backdoor trojan showed up in my system shortly after I posted the link above (AVG caught it before it could do any damage). Could be the page was the cause of it. So do not use it. I’ve reported the link to the mods. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/12 "2013-06-16T15:00:14Z")
Try[this Google image search](https://www.google.com/search?q=Metropolitain+font&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ntK9UZexC4PW9ASlmIGACg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=539) instead, for “Metropoitain” the Parisian font. Shows all kinds of variations: ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/13 "2013-06-16T15:05:33Z")
It’s not Metropolitan – compare the Ms. **Pulykamell** is right – it’s hand-lettered (look at how each replicated letter is different from one another – all the As, all the Ms, etc.), so you won’t find an exact match in any set font. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/14 "2013-06-16T17:00:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, that one is much closer in form and feel to what’s in the OP. Not the same, but I’d bet the lettering was inspired by Metropolitan. Actually, I take that back. Looking closer at the Metropolitan font, it doesn’t really look that much like what’s in the OP, either. It’s somewhat closer than the other suggestions, but still a good bit off. It’s 100% absolutely hand-lettered. Even where the letters aren’t warped by the curves of the circular border, they are different. Look at the second and third “A” in “ADAMANT.” Even those two don’t match. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/15 "2013-06-16T17:03:26Z")
Well it may be hand-lettered, but whoever hand lettered it CLEARLY based it on Metropolitain. And not in the sense that Hollywood based the movie version of “Damnation Alley” on the book. I mean, it’s a very close copy. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/16 "2013-06-16T17:13:15Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Well it may be hand-lettered, but whoever hand lettered it CLEARLY based it on Metropolitain. And not in the sense that Hollywood based the movie version of “Damnation Alley” on the book. I mean, it’s a very close copy. Like I said, after further review, I don’t think it “clearly” looks like it’s based on Metropolitan. I think the letter “N” has the most similarity, but the rest are different. The lettering just looks like standard 60s era hippie/psychedelic lettering based on Art Nouveau to me. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/17 "2013-06-16T17:27:57Z")
Besides, is Metropolitain even a proper font? As far as I can tell, it’s just a reconstruction based on some letterforms in Hector Guimard’s iconic “Metropolitain” sign, and varies greatly depending on who’s interpreting it. [Here’s one of the iconic signs.](http://www.imagenature.com/galleries/spring-paris/metropolitain-sign-paris-metro.php) I really don’t think it’s quite that similar. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/18 "2013-06-16T17:33:48Z")
Are you people actually blind? It’s nothing like anything named in this thread . . . and some of them have no similarity whatsoever . . . certainly nothing like any of the fonts called “Metropolitan.” Search for “metropolitan font” and you’ll see how many totally different fonts share that name. The OP’s sample is hand-lettered. We have no way of knowing whether the artist was inspired by an actual font. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/19 "2013-06-16T18:36:26Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Are you people actually blind? It’s nothing like anything named in this thread . . . and some of them have no similarity whatsoever . . . certainly nothing like any of the fonts called “Metropolitan.” > > Search for “metropolitan font” and you’ll see how many totally different fonts share that name. > > The OP’s sample is hand-lettered. We have no way of knowing whether the artist was inspired by an actual font. You’ll do better if you search for “Metropolitain font” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104/20 "2013-06-16T19:13:48Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > You’ll do better if you search for “Metropolitain font” Doesn’t matter, they’re equally wrong. Obviously the most distinctive character is the “A,” with that curve from the lower left to the horizontal. But fonts with that kind of “A” don’t have that kind of “M.” That’s why I think the artist just picked letters he liked, from more than one font. Or he copied someone else’s lettering that didn’t include an “M,” so he made it up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-60s-art-nouveau-ish-font/661104.md?page=2)