Matrix for 60 point Bookman swash M (ATF), and 36 point Ludlow Caslon Italic swash R.

Swash may suggest to today’s younger designer the modern application of numerous curliques and exaggerated strokes to Bookman and numerous other faces—even to Helvetica—but the typographer with a background in metal types is more likely to think of Caslon and Garamond, with their traditional sets of graceful swash letters.

What we seldom realize is that there are several different sets of swash letters for each of these faces, sometimes developed independently from different sources. And swashes have been made for some faces which we would least expect to have them—but finding a source when we want them is something else!

Italic capitals, particularly in oldstyle faces, were not intended to be used for complete words, but only as initials for words set in lower case, and this is especially true of swash capitals. Some of the lower case swash letters though, are intended as terminals, or can be used at any place in a word.

It is well known that William Caslon hand-cut the punches for the face now known in America as Caslon Old Style no. 471, and in England as Caslon Old Face, but it is uncertain whether he cut many swash letters such as those now associated with the design. Certainly he could have, for somewhat similar letters had been in existence since at least the middle of the sixteenth century.

Caslon’s earliest specimen broadside, dated 1734, contains four letters—J, Q, T, Y—that could be considered swashes, in place of plain letters. Modern Caslon Italic fonts commonly include these letters, either with or without alternate plain versions, while the other swashes, where made, are often supplied as separate or optional fonts—and therefore are not necessarily available from all typographers who have the italic fonts. Similar semi-swashes occur in several other traditional and transitional italics, including Bulmer, Kennerley, and some versions of Baskerville.

American Caslon Italic (ATF). Derived from New Caslon Italic, with long descenders and swash letters added by Morris F. Benton. Generally based on Caslon Old Style Italic No. 471.

Although Caslon’s types had been imported by early American printers, including Benjamin Franklin, they were not cast in this country until about 1860, when duplicate matrices were brought over by a predecessor of American Type Founders. Certainly these matrices did not include swash letters other than the few basic letters mentioned.

Caslon Italic no. 540 (ATF). Practically a duplicate of 471 series, but with a unique I and U. Larger sizes only, 36 to 96 point.

The familiar array of swash letters associated with Caslon Oldstyle Italic No. 471 was designed at least in part by Thomas M. Cleland in the early 1900s, and adapted for Caslon Italic No 540 about 1930. The two sets are almost identical, but a few characters appear only in one set of the other. Many of these differ from the letters cast by Stephenson Blake, the English successors of Caslon’s foundry.

Caslon Oldstyle Italic No. 3371 (Lanston Monotype). Very similar to 471 series. Lacking a few characters, but including an unusual W.

Caslon Oldstyle Italic No. 4371 (Lanston). Patterned after English Caslon swash letters, in 42 to 72 point.

Caslon Old Face Italic (Stephenson Blake). Aside from the traditional J, Q, T, and Y (like the ones in William Caslon’s fonts of 1734), the swashes from this foundry are generally unlike those from ATF, and probably are older. English Monotype Caslon Italic is very similar.

True-Cut Caslon Italic (Ludlow). Very similar to 471 series, but lacking several characters.

On Lanston Monotype, Caslon Oldstyle Italic No. 3371 closely duplicates many of the swash letters of 471, in sizes up to 36 point. But in larger sizes, which Monotype calls No. 4371, the swashes more nearly resemble those of the English foundry. English Monotype also follows the Stephenson Blake style. Ludlow’s True-Cut Caslon Italic swashes follow the 471 designs, while Intertype and Mergenthaler Linotype, within their mechanical limitations, come closer to the English form.

Caslon Italic (Intertype). Based on the English models, similar to Linotype Caslon Old Face Italic, but with a Peculiarly reversed T.

Caslon Old Face Italic (Linotype). Based on English Caslon Italic swash letters, with remarkably little adjustment to the vertical confines of linecasting mats.

Caslon Italic Specials (BB&S), by Carl S. Junge. Unlike any other Caslons.

A completely different set of swashes, called Caslon Italic Specials, was designed by Carl S. Junge around 1920 and cast by Barnhart Brothers & Spindler, the large Chicago typefoundry. They have long been obsolete.

Garamond Italic (ATF), Garamond Bold Italic (ATF, Monotype). More dignified and formal than most swashes; a traditional set by T.M. Cleland and M.F. Benton.

Three different versions of Garamond are popular in American typography. The most widely used of these is that of American Type Founders, designed in 1914 by Morris Benton and Thomas Cleland, complete with a handsome variety of swash letters, similar in general shape to the ones done by Mr. Cleland for Caslon.

Many other typefaces include swash letters. most are italics, but a few romans are included. Most are in the old-style or transitional category, but not all. Most of the characters are caps, but some fonts include a few lower case swashes.

What face is least likely to include swashes . . . Ultra Bodoni, perhaps? Or Futura? Read on. . . .

Goudy Heavyface Italic (Lanston). Somewhat similar to Cooper Black Italic, but with only a few swashes.

Kennerley Italic (Lanston). Somewhat similar to Goudy Italic.

Cloister Italic, Cloister Bold Italic (ATF, Monotype), by Morris F. Benton.

Cooper Black Italic (ATF, from BB&S). Designed by Oswald Cooper. The ultimate sock in swash letters.

Cheltenham Italic (ATF). A dozen swash caps and several lower case swashes were made for this face.

Caslon Italic no. 371 (Lanston). J, T, Y similar to 540 series, plus an unusual W; also a more restrained B, Dd, P, and R in a few sizes only.

Caslon Oldstyle Italic no. 471 (American Type Founders). Plain and fancy J, Q, T and Y are part of the regular font; other swashes are special, including an alternate ampersand. F, H, K, and L designs not found in other fonts are included. All sizes from 6 to 48 point have been made.

Garamond Italic as adapted to Intertype.

Garamont Italic (Lanston). Frederic W. Goudy’s interpretation of the classic face, generally different from other Garamonds

Tempo Light Italic, Tempo Medium Italic (Ludlow). A rarity—swash or cursive caps for a sans-serif typeface!

Weiss Italic, Piranesi Italic, and others are normally supplied with swash capitals, but plain caps are available as alternates.

Park Avenue, Raleigh Cursive, Liberty, Mayfair Cursive, Trafton Script, Coronet, and various other faces have caps similar to swashes, but are classified as cursives rather than italics.

To avoid casting long, delicate kerns, which would be quite subject to breakage, some foundry swash letters are cast in special molds with a lug or projecting part of the body that forms a mortise around the overhanging portion of the letter. Special lower case letters are cast on smaller bodies to fit within this mortise, or must bee trimmed down by the typographer. Similar Ludlow mats form a projection of the face, but the slug body must be cut to allow the following letters to fit into the mortise.

Initials for Flavor by M.F. McGrew, Type Director, Ketchum, MacLeod & Grove, Inc., first appeared in volume 5, number 1 of Typographic i, a publication of the International Typographic Composition Association, Inc., 1973.

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