Post #699515
2026-03-09 01:20 UTC
Does anyone know anything about the broken slash that sometimes appears in precomposed fractions – whether there was a clear first precedent, or if it goes back to metal?
Replies (3)
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@sajatype@typo.social 2026-03-09 02:01
@w__h_ the first time I recall seeing it was in Recursive but I wouldn't be surprised if it predates that
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@klim@typo.social 2026-03-09 10:33
@w__h_ Metal. Cos I’m lazy, here’s a pic from Pitch design info. The caption is a bit unhelpful, “Above: 5pt Excelsior from the Linotype specimen book. Below: Pitch fractions.”
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@jenskutilek@typo.social 2026-03-09 14:17
@w__h_ my hunch was that it comes from typewriters, and indeed I found these examples in manufacturers (Ransmayer & Rodrian) catalogs from 1928 and 1940. There is no description for the different kinds of fractions, unfortunately.