MFB Thermo
Matteson Typographics · Steve Matteson · 1931
Steve Matteson's revival of Morris Fuller Benton's 1931 ATF Thermo, expanding the original three-width grotesque concept into six weights per width with a variable font version.
About
Originally designed by Morris Fuller Benton in 1931 for American Type Founders, Thermo offered three discrete widths to allow hand-compositors to mix fonts for tighter text justification — a practical idea that proved too cumbersome in use and was discontinued in 1938. Matteson's revival stays faithful to the original letterforms while adding new weights and stylistic alternates. The variable font version allows the widths and weights to scale fluidly, realising the flexibility Benton originally envisioned.
Classification
A revival of Morris Fuller Benton's 1931 ATF design, MFB Thermo is a multi-width grotesque sans-serif with three width variants (Condensed, Regular, Wide) and a variable font version, rooted in early twentieth-century American type tradition.