The first wooden letters for typographic reproduction on posters were craft-produced in the 18th century. Their use spread with the expansion of commercial advertising in the 1820s; production was mechanized and new types with increased visibility were created. In addition to dated products, series of surprisingly “modern” types were developed that could be com-pared with those generated by the “new” digital typography.

This republication of the 1860s catalogue “Specimen de caracteres en bois de la maison Bonnet” demonstrates that letters, like buildings, incarnate the spirit of an age, while preserving a timeless quality that constitutes a lasting source of inspiration.