James Mosley 1935–2025

James Mosley passed on August 26th as announced by Sébastien Morlighem on Mastodon. He was one of the greatest researchers and type historians, and was for 42 years Librarian of the St Bride.
My research on 19th century Italian type started with a document compiled by him, that he generously shared with us. I’ll be forever grateful for having believed in 2 young students very excited about old type.

If you want to know more:
— Read his obituary on Eye Magazine by Catherine Dixon
— Read his profile on Eye magazine, by Paul Barnes.
— Browse through his blog, which is still active.
— Read some of his books and essays: The nimph and the grot; the update on the blog; Garamond, Griffo and Others: The Price of Celebrity; The first sans-serif type.

The Department of Typography & Graphic Communication at the University of Reading has uploaded on YouTube all his lectures. Given over many years, they represent the sequence of lectures given by Prof. Mosley to students over the course of one academic year. In 2020–21, they were recorded as still images with voice-over. A perfect occupation for our rainy winter evenings.

I am so glad to know that the Italian edition «Radici della scrittura moderna» will be reprinted soon by Radici & Zabar. Below is a picture of my edition, that of course is with me in Seattle, as worn off as a reference book consulted many times should be.