Colophon Foundry

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Coign is an extensive study of condensed forms based on the DeLittle type foundry’s Elongated Sans. DeLittle’s type — extending far beyond the realms of legibility — challenges conventional letterforms, pushing the notion of what is ‘condensed’ to the absolute limit.

A quoin, coyne, coigne or, in this case, Coign, is a wedge-like device used in letterpress printing to lock type and spacing material into place within a chase or directly onto a press.

Combining the systematic approach of Adrian Frutiger’s Univers and the eccentricities of 19th and 20th century wood type, Coign offers a vast range of condensed styles that explore how the relationship between counterform and letterspacing can alter the expression and texture of type.

Super condensed designs are typically limited to a small range of styles as part of a much larger family, whereas Coign offers 56 styles — comprising of seven weights in eight different widths — all of them super condensed. It is open to licensing in both Standard (‘STD’) and Professional (‘PRO’) versions. The latter contains numerous OpenType features and stylistic alternates.

A full rationale of Coign's development can be read here.

N.B:
1. In a Desktop setting, some OpenType features (e.g. fractions) may require the use of the Adobe World-Ready Composer.
2. Quark XPress is not supported with Coign.

Release
2018

Extended I
2021

Version
2.001

Designer
Colophon Foundry

Article
Read on Medium

Specimen
Coign

⑧ Gripper Edge
a. Pica Pica Pica Pica Pica Pica Pica
b. Pica Pica Pica Pica Pica Pica Pica
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