Unknown font from Town Hall ca. 1960 - do you know it?

Font Identification
1

Hi there

As part of a reorganization of our town hall, we’re looking to unify the font used. The town hall was built 1958-60. It is not known precisely when the lettering is from but it must be around that time or very shortly after.

The original font is an Optima-looking one, Optima coming out in 1958 would fit chronologically, however there are some dissimilarites. I’m not a font expert, so I do not know the correct terms, but some notable differences are:

  • lines in S taper out, do not thicken
  • left downward line in Æ does not thicken
  • lines generally do not thicken, e.g. the horizontal lines of E
  • M has vertical lines, in Optima they’re slanted
  • the arms of V and Y are much wider
  • the A also seems wider
  • the slanted downward line i R is much longer
  • the middle vertical line in E is not centered, seems slightly above center

I have researched the various files about building the town hall, however the signs are not mentioned. I doubt the font was created specifically for the Town Hall, as this would most likely have been mentioned in the files.

So I was hoping some font experts might be able to name the font. let me know if you have any ideas.

Thanks for reading!

fonterådhus

2

It’s Cabrito Contrast Extended Medium

3

Thank you very much for your reply.

It’s certainly very similar, but it’s not the same. E.g. the vertical lines of M are slanted in Cabrito.

I’ll pass your suggestion along, the current suggestion is to use an Optima-replacement, but at a glance Cabrito seems more of a match.

Cabrito is a modern font, I think? The font I’m after is from the late 50s/early 60s