The typeface was designed at ParaType (ParaGraph) in 1993 by Vladimir Yefimov based on Herold Reclameschrift by Heinz Hoffman of H. Berthold (Berlin), 1901, and Russian Herold typeface of the Berthold typefoundry (St. Petersburg). The bold style based on Herold Heavy of H. Berthold (Berlin), 1904, of the same designer. Advertising and headline typeface in Art Nouveau style.

Ferryman is a Blackletter typeface for the contemporary reader. Unfamiliar Blackletter characters have been replaced with adapted common Latin characters (Antiqua) or with letters from other historical scripts that are more legible to a modern audience. Ferryman is the antidote to the overused geometric and neogrotesk styles. An expressive display typeface with a strong character, it is perfectly suited for counterculture projects and progressive concepts e.g. in visual art, indie music, and alternative lifestyles. With nine weights and corresponding italics Ferryman offers a wide range of creative possibilities. Each style offers 590 glyphs supporting all Western-, Eastern- and Central-European languages and comes with four sets of numbers and various currency symbols.