This ham radioQSL cardfrom around the late 1940s uses an eclectic mix of period typefaces. The big type for “W6ND” isGlamourBold(c.1948). “Burlingame, California” at the top is inGeorge Salter’sFlex(1937), and Lindsay’s name featuresKeynote(1933) byWillard T. Sniffin. The form labels are set in the upright style ofPiranesi(1930), also by Sniffin. Unlike Benton’s Piranesi Italic, it hasn’t been digitized yet. The bolder line in the bottom left corner uses the similarBernhard Modern(1937).
This QSL card embodies the earnest technical romanticism of mid-century amateur radio culture—a blend of engineering precision and genteel hobbyist enthusiasm. The typography communicates authoritative technical competence softened by period elegance, reflecting the era when ham radio operators were both technical pioneers and cultured correspondents maintaining global networks through personal exchange.
The eclectic mix works because each typeface serves a distinct informational hierarchy while maintaining 1940s period cohesion. Glamour Bold's dramatic contrast and Art Deco geometry give the call sign W6ND appropriate technical authority, while Flex's flowing letterforms soften the geographic information with casual elegance. Keynote and Piranesi's classical proportions lend formality to personal identification and technical data, respectively, creating a sophisticated multi-layered information system.
Rather than traditional font pairing, this represents period-appropriate typographic eclecticism where each element demands distinct treatment. The high-contrast Glamour Bold creates a strong focal hierarchy against the more restrained classical faces, while Flex provides transitional warmth between technical authority and personal correspondence, reflecting the dual nature of amateur radio as both technical pursuit and social medium.