Mr Eaves was a simple, yet sophisticated man. While consistent and controlled in thickness and shape, his iconic handlebar mustache made him stand out in a crowd. Classic and refined, he was the perfect companion for Mrs Eaves.
Mrs Eaves was a mystifying and magnificent matriarch. Adorned with curious contrasts and star-studded serifs, you could always find Mrs Eaves with a silky scarf around her neck. Bold, yet graceful, she was the perfect companion for Mr Eaves.
In 1996, Zuzana Licko of the Emigre type foundry designed Mrs Eaves (About Her). Inspired as a revival of Baskerville (and later named after John Baskerville’s maid-turned-mistress, Sarah Eaves), Mrs Eaves has become Emigre’s most popular typeface, its success often compared to that of Helvetica, Univers, and Franklin Gothic. The typeface’s subtly-contrasted strokes, low x-height, and quirky, yet whimsical serifs makes this typeface unique, yet classic.
In 2009, Zuzana Licko designed the “san-serif companion” to Mrs Eaves: Mr Eaves (About Him). Despite the noticeable differences between the two typefaces--Mr Eaves most prominently lacks serifs and boasts less contrast between thicks and thins--Licko cites that both typefaces were designed with the same proportions, weight, and armature in mind. The typeface’s clean, consistent facets perfectly counteracts the more eccentric nature of Mrs Eaves.
“Mr Eaves Sans & Modern.” Emigre Fonts, Emigre Inc., www.emigre.com/Fonts/Mr-Eaves-Sans-and-Modern.
“Mrs Eaves.” Emigre Fonts, Emigre Inc., www.emigre.com/Fonts/Mrs-Eaves.