John Downer designed SamSans in 1993 in reaction to Sam Berlow’s request for a casual, condensed sans.

The series, replete with alternate characters in every style, is executed in informal Downer style, vivid with the energy of the showcard vernacular.

New italics, added in 1996, pick up and continue the themes behind the roman, using the brush-drawn strokes to form a peculiarly American contribution to letter design.