King Tut is a restoration and expansion of the original Egyptian Expanded, a single bold face cut in 1850 by Miller & Richard, the famous Edinburgh founders. This aesthetic, though originally issued to help drive simple print advertising of those days, is perhaps the longest lasting genre of typeface. This aesthetic flourished in the later part of the 19th century, helped by the surge of similar faces from England (such as Figgins’ Antique 6 and Expanded Antique), and became the defining index of the old American wild west that continues to this very day.
King Tut serves up its impact through a balance between the wide, compact letterforms and elegant curvature that manages to come through even in confined areas. The family’s weight variety allows for more options in counterspace use as well as precision in the amount of curve definition and contrast needed by the typographer. The lighter weights completely oppose that 19th century boldness and expose the alphabet’s skeleton in a strive for simplicity that fits modern applications.
With generous language support to boot, King Tut’s diverse offerings make it an essential addition to today’s designer repertoire.
Font Family: