David Jonathan Ross has long been fascinated with the topsy-turvy quality of the so-called French Clarendon style. In its typical Victorian guise, this reverse-contrast genre is usually associated with wood type, circus broadsides, and the Wild West.

With Trilby, Ross eschewed any decorative excess and reined in the eccentricities for a more subdued approach. With generous and inviting letterforms, the result is a surprisingly functional maturity, suited to a variety of uses — from modest stretches of text to today’s headlines, posters, and ads.