ITC Golden Type is a revival of a typeface designed in the late nineteenth century by William Morris, the great Victorian designer, poet, artist, craftsman, social reformer, and printer. In his search for a solid and pure letterform to use in his private press editions, he was inspired by the roman types in books printed by Nicolas Jenson in the fifteenth century.

The type he designed, called Golden Type, is much heavier than Jenson’s roman. It suited Morris' need and desire for robust forms that stood up well to the magnificent illustrations and borders in his Kelmscott Press Editions. The type was punchcut by Edward Prince, and the name comes from the first book Morris printed with it, the medieval manual called “The Golden Legend.” More…

In the 1980s, three production designers at URW in Germany took on a labor of love to digitize the Golden Type, and to develop it into a serviceable typeface for the current era. ITC Golden Type was released in 1989 with original, bold, and black weights, small caps, and additional characters. Best used in larger point sizes and with generous spacing, ITC Golden Type evokes all the solidity and vibrancy that Morris intended.