What's that French typeface?

[ianp]

I spotted this sign above a bar in Rouen recently. Does anyone know the name of the typeface?

 

 

To answer my own question, I think it is a variation of the Mistral typeface.

Edit: Wikipedia suggests the typeface is called Choc. It was designed by Roger Excoffon in 1955, who had previously designed the Mistral typeface in 1953, of which he was trying to design a bolder version.

 

But what typeface is this, from the town hall of Le

Mesnil Esnard?

 

 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2019 by ianp

[Fat Controller]

It's some form of Art Deco styling; I tried having a look on-line, but it mainly gave references to 'under Vichy', 'collaboration' and so on (I should add that the French for a style of lettering is 'police'

I did find this in English:-

https://www.fontspace.com/category/art deco

It's a very impressive town hall for such a small community (about 7000 inhabitants)

[ianp]

Wikipedia says the town hall was built in 1937. Old postcards show that the building also housed a school, which may explain its size.

[Joseph_Pestell]

2 hours ago, ianp said:

I spotted this sign above a bar in Rouen recently. Does anyone know the name of the typeface?

 

 

To answer my own question, I think it is a variation of the Mistral typeface.

 

But what typeface is this, from the town hall of Le

Mesnil Esnard?

 

 

 

 

I can't name it but certainly a very typical font for its era. Something similar used on the credits for TV Poirot and Murder on the Orient Express. You might find some clues there.

Most villages and small towns have/had the junior/elementary school attached physically to the Mairie. The commune is responsible for the upkeep of the school buildings. Only secondary schools infrastructure is funded regionally.

I tried typing La Buvette du Robec in Mistral. It does not come out that similar.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Joseph_Pestell
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[D9020 Nimbus]

The font looks a bit like Broadway in some respects.

[ianp]

BIngo! I have discovered a website that will identify your typeface from a photo if you drop it in.

It is called WhatTheFont: https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/

It correctly identified La Buvette du Robec as being in Choc, but is having difficulty with Le Mesnil Esnard.

It has identified the typeface is this picture below as probably Aldine 721 Std Bold Condensed.

 

 

Edited May 22, 2019 by ianp

[Pacific231G]

8 hours ago, ianp said:

BIngo! I have discovered a website that will identify your typeface from a photo if you drop it in.

It is called WhatTheFont: https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/

It correctly identified La Buvette du Robec as being in Choc, but is having difficulty with Le Mesnil Esnard.

 

Thanks for the site, that's going to be useful though the examples I've tried it on so far produced a range of options none of  which quite matched. It couldn't identify Police SNCF and that's a fairly well known typeface but probably not a commercial one.

It's possible that Le Mesnil Esnard was simply produced in what the building designer thought looked like Art Deco so may not be exactly the same as any published typeface. I've seen that quite often recently with signage that tries to look like a particular style but sort of  misses and  just doesn't look right. 

Edited May 22, 2019 by Pacific231G