Conrad X. 'Cobb' Shinn (Sept. 4, 1887- Jan. 28, 1951) was a Fillmore, Indiana-born post card illustrator who sold a series of successful novelty postcard lines which included (among others) Charlie Chaplin, automobiles and the Dutch culture in the beginning years of the 20th Century. After serving in World War I, Shinn found the market for novelty postcards dwindling, and he also lent his artistic skills to cartoon features and illustrating many children's books [including his own, under the nickname 'Uncle Cobb'] which taught easy step-by-step drawing methods. Some time in the 1920s, he eventually migrated into the field of supplying electrotypes and stereotypes of 'stock cuts' of photos and line art to the printing trade. In the days of letterpress printing, this was the forerunner of paper clip art and its successor, electronic clip art. Purchasing many of his designs from 'journeyman' artists of the time, the diversity of Cobb Shinn's stock cuts library grew with the passing years, reflecting changing times, styles and topics. Some of the illustrators whose signed works were presented in Shinn's 'CUTalogs' [as he called his stock cuts catalogs] include Mary Clemmitt, Louis H. Hippe, E.C. Klinge, Nelson White, Harvey Fuller, Bess Livings, Lois Head, Harvey Peake and Van Tuyl. Upon his passing in 1951, it's not known how long the Indianapolis-based company existed before finally closing its doors. One of the more popular series of cartoons were the line illustrations of men and women affectionately called 'little big head guys' by many modern fans of these cuts because the heads of the characters were drawn somewhat larger than the rest of their bodies. Shinn Kickers JNL is a collection twenty-six of these illustrations, and just like a kick in the shin (as the pun in the name implies), these charming cartoons get your attention.

This font was inspired by lettering found on an old newsprint periodical from the 19th century.

This font family, of 3 weights, was inspired by old hand painted signs in Tel Aviv.

Strong experimental remix of a quite old typeface named Aurora. Inspired by Cornel Windlin 1990s artworks.

Teutura is a geometric, modern display font inspired by old blackletter typefaces (e.g. Fraktur, Gutenberg Textura).

This font was inspired by lettering found on an old soap box from the 19th century.

Hawksmoor is a digital font that preserves the worn and inky idiosyncrasies of old woodblock type.

Prospector JNL is based on a lettering example found in an old Speedball-pen lettering handbook.

Strong experimental remix at the edge of the typography of a quite old typeface called Aurora.