Douglas McMurtrie Papers

Overview

Administrative/Biographical Note

Douglas Crawford McMurtrie (July 20, 1888- September 29, 1944) was an American typeface designer, historian, and one of the most important bibliographers of printing. After leaving Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before graduating, he worked as a newspaper reporter and printing broker. Over several years, some of McMurtie’s earliest and noted appointments were as general manager of the Cheltenham Press, then as printing manager of the Columbia University Printing Office, the Arbor Press, and Conde Nast Press. McMurtie designed two typefaces, helped design the format of the New Yorker Magazine, and was instrumental in forming the Continental Type Founders Association, which imported types from Europe, serving as the company’s first vice president. In the mid 1920s, he became the editor of the prestigious Ars Typographica magazine. Later in his career, McMurtrie became the typographic director of the Cuneo Press before becoming the director of advertising and typography at Ludlow typograph Company.

Scope & Content

The Douglas McMurtrie Papers are organized chronologically by date and then alphabetically.

Provenance Information

The collection history is unknown. Special Collections staff assumes materials were brought in by the previous curator but no provenance is available. The collections whereabouts before UMBC is unknown in addition to no notes of if Douglas McMurtrie’s estate is the donor or if a separate donor was responsible to sending materials to UMBC.

Access & Use

This collection is open for research. There are no restricted materials.

Permission required for all reproductions requests. UMBC is the copyright owner.

Series Description & Container List

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