Serif Forked/Spurred Ismy 4 is a bold, normal width, monoline, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Benton Sans', 'Benton Sans Pro', and 'Benton Sans Std' by Font Bureau; 'Moderna Sans' by Latinotype; and 'Nuber Next' by The Northern Block (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, editorial, posters, packaging, certificates, classic, bookish, traditional, stately, formal, authority, heritage, distinctiveness, readability, bracketed, spurred, beaked, ink-trap, high-contrast.
A sturdy serif with pronounced bracketed serifs and frequent spurred or beaked terminals that give many strokes a forked, slightly flared finish. Strokes read mostly even at a glance, but the forms show subtle contrast and shaping in joins, producing a carved, inked-in look rather than a purely geometric build. Counters are compact and the overall color is dense, with rounded letters (O, C, G) staying firm and controlled while diagonals (V, W, X) remain broad and assertive. The lowercase is compact with a two-storey a and g and a strong, vertical rhythm; numerals are heavy and steady, designed to match the text weight.
Best suited to display and short-to-medium text where its spurred details can be appreciated—headlines, pull quotes, magazine titles, and book cover typography. It also works well for labels, packaging, and formal materials that benefit from a classic, authoritative serif presence.
The tone is traditional and authoritative, with a slightly decorative sharpness from the spurs and beaked terminals. It feels editorial and old-world without becoming overly ornate, projecting seriousness, heritage, and a hint of engraved signage character.
The design appears intended to deliver a robust, traditional serif voice with added character through forked terminals and spurs, balancing familiar proportions with distinctive finishing details for strong identity in titles and branding.
The distinctive mid-stem spurs and forked ends create crisp word shapes and add texture in larger settings. In dense text, the tight counters and dark color can feel weighty, so spacing and size choice will strongly affect readability.