Blackletter Agfa 1 is a regular weight, narrow, medium contrast, italic, normal x-height font.
Keywords: headlines, logotypes, packaging, posters, book covers, medieval, formal, dramatic, traditional, authoritative, historical evocation, display impact, ornamental caps, calligraphic texture, angular, fractured, spiky, calligraphic, sharp serifs.
This typeface features classic blackletter construction with broken strokes, pointed terminals, and a consistent diagonal slant. Letterforms are built from narrow vertical stems with wedge-like feet and sharp, faceted joins, producing a rhythmic texture in text. Capitals are more elaborate and ornamental, with pronounced internal angles and occasional curved swashes, while the lowercase stays compact and tightly spaced with crisp, chiseled counters. Numerals follow the same fractured, calligraphic logic, mixing straight stems with angled cuts and tapered ends for a cohesive set.
Best suited to display sizes where the crisp breaks and angular details can be appreciated—such as headlines, mastheads, band or brand marks, labels, certificates, invitations, and dramatic poster work. It can also work for short pull quotes or chapter openers when used with generous tracking and comfortable line spacing.
The overall tone is historic and ceremonial, evoking manuscript lettering, heraldic signage, and old-world gravitas. Its sharp forms and dense rhythm create a commanding, dramatic voice that reads as traditional and authoritative.
The design appears intended to deliver a historically rooted blackletter voice with clear, sharp-cut forms and a consistent calligraphic slant, balancing ornamental capitals with a more repeatable, text-like lowercase. Its emphasis is on strong texture and period character for impactful display typography.
In running text the repeated verticals create a strong “picket fence” texture typical of blackletter, with relatively small apertures and angular counters that favor atmosphere over effortless long-form readability. The slanted posture adds momentum and a slightly aggressive edge, helping headlines and short phrases feel animated and emphatic.