Lombardic capitals

English Church Text. Obviously this wasn’t meant to be set in all-caps, since these are initials. But I quite like the ornamental word vomit this creates! But I love these Lombardic capitals! K, Q, J, and R especially! From ‘Art alphabets and lettering’ (J. M. Bergling, 1914).

The Lombardic alphabet is characterised by very broad, fat letters, and ornate designs. The broad letters gives plenty of room to draw beautiful patterns, scrolls and designs within the letterforms. The Lombardic letters are usually used for initials, and beginning of sentences. They are to be used sparingly though, because your work can look over the top if you overuse the Lombardic lettering styles. However, with this in mind, it can be very effective when combined with lowercase letters…

Additional ornamental t.p. with title: Monograms, old architectural ornament, sacred illustrations : borders and alphabets & collected on the Continent and in...

French capital letters 1882. From Gunnvor Karita at wingsofwhimsy.com. This site has many beautiful lettering examples and downloads.

Lombardic Gothic versal. Manuscript versal forms [so called because used to denote the beginnings of verses, paragraphs, etc.} were huilt up Roman letters which in the tenth and twelfth centuries departed from the more severe Roman form by the addition of ornamental features, or by curving and fattening the strokes, developing or degenerating into the Lombardic, not that it was invented by the Lombards, or even confined to northern Italy, but because it was first developed there