Alfa-Beta, Aldo Novarese (Ed. Archivio Tipografico)
Alfa-Beta is a reissue of the historic book by Aldo Novarese.
The first edition of Alfa-Beta, published in 1964 by Progresso Grafico and distributed by G.B. Paravia & C., cost 5,000 lire. This book is a testimony to Novarese’s comprehensive work and design ethos. It presents a highly specific vision of the discipline, written by a professional, and explores the evolution of writing.
In addition to being one of the very few manuals on type design theory and practice written in Italian, Alfa-Beta also offers a unique perspective on typography history, reflecting Novarese’s personal design methodology. It remains an inspiring source for designers.
Aldo Novarese, born in Pontestura, Vicenza, on June 29, 1920, gained worldwide fame for his extraordinary typefaces. In 1936, at sixteen, he began working at Nebiolo, a foundry producing lead type and printing machines, under Alessandro Butti. In 1952 he succeeded Butti as head of the internal design studio. His career at Nebiolo continued until 1975, coinciding with the decline of lead movable type production.
The reissue project began with the discovery by Piergiuseppe Molinar of the original films used for the second printing in 1983. Archivio Tipografico, with Lorenzo Bolzoni and Matilde Argentero, Novarese’s granddaughter, conceived and curated the project.
Alfa-Beta was reissued as an anastatic edition, accompanied by a reading guide containing the English translation, along with three bilingual introductory essays on Novarese’s life and work, plus a note by translator Alta L. Price. The books were printed offset by Grafiche Antiga.
A deluxe edition also includes an internal specimen composed with lead type designed by the author. Its hardcover case was produced by Bottega Fagnola.
Additional materials were produced to complement the recovery of Novarese’s work: a pair of posters depicting two of the most representative pages of Alfa-Beta, a poster reinterpretation of Novarese’s type production, and a digital reproduction of the Nova Augustea, the typeface used on the cover of Alfa-Beta.
The project was funded via Kickstarter for the centenary of Novarese’s birth (June 29, 2020).
A project by Archivio Tipografico,
Matilde Argentero e Lorenzo Bolzoni
Photo/Video: Klak (Denise Aimar, Domenico Conte)
Press Office: Carola Serminato
English translation: Alta L. Price
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