Middleton, R. Hunter (Robert Hunter), 1898-1985

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Robert Hunter Middleton was a type designer, lettering artist, graphic designer, and fine-press printer. Born in Scotland in 1898, he came to the U.S. at the age of ten. He graduated from the School of the Art Institute in 1923, after studying with Ernst F. Detterer. As principal designer for the Ludlow Typograph Co. from 1923 to 1970, he was responsible for the design of many typefaces widely used in advertising and newspaper work. He also served as Ludlow’s art director, and, in the years before his retirement, on its board. Middleton completed graphic and lettering designs for such Chicago institutions as the Art Institute, Fourth Presbyterian Church, and Frances Parker School. His private press, named Cherryburn (for the home of the English wood engraver, Thomas Bewick), specialized in prints made from original Bewick blocks, which Middleton collected (and later donated to the Newberry Library). In 1970 the Newberry published and distributed Cherryburn’s portfolio of one hundred Bewick prints. Through Cherryburn, Middleton also collaborated with Chicago artist Dale Nichols (1904-1995). Another imprint Middleton founded, Apprentice House, published work in collaboration with Imre Reiner (1900-1987), Margaret Varro, and Phillip Reed (1908-1989). Middleton was a founding member of the 27 Chicago Designers and the Society of Typographic Arts, an early participant of the Aspen Design Conference and the Association Internationale Typographique, and an active member of the Typocrafters and other design organizations. In retirement, he taught at Transylvania University, the University of Alabama, Yale, UCLA, and elsewhere.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Morison, Stanley, 1889-1967. Letter, 1939. Getty Research Institute
contributorOf Bewick, Thomas, 1753-1828. Fisherman casting [realia]. Morton Arboretum, Sterling Morton Library
referencedIn New Directions Publishing records Houghton Library
referencedIn Typocrafters (Group) papers, 1937-2000. Houghton Library
creatorOf Middleton, R. Hunter (Robert Hunter), 1898-1985. Robert Hunter Middleton Papers, 1921-1985. Newberry Library
creatorOf Bewick, Thomas, 1753-1828. [Make-readies constructed by R.H. Middleton for printing Thomas Bewick wood blocks] [realia], [1945-1970?]. Newberry Library
creatorOf Middleton, R. Hunter (Robert Hunter), 1898-1985. Robert Hunter Middleton design papers, 1927-1984. University of Illinois at Chicago Library, UIC
creatorOf Middleton, R. Hunter (Robert Hunter), 1898-1985. Correspondence with Carl Zigrosser, 1945. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Middleton, R. Hunter (Robert Hunter), 1898-1985. R. Hunter Middleton letters, 1949-1952. Newberry Library
creatorOf Bewick, Thomas, 1753-1828. Young man with cane and dog [realia]. Morton Arboretum, Sterling Morton Library
creatorOf Bewick, Thomas, 1753-1828. Fantasy in a wood-block [realia] / Thomas Bewick. Morton Arboretum, Sterling Morton Library
creatorOf Hayes, James, 1907-1994. James Hayes papers, 1905-1994, (bulk 1921-1994). Newberry Library
creatorOf Frost, Gary. Field trip to the Cherryburn Press, R. Hunter Middleton [proprietor], 19 November 1980 / prepared by Gary L. Frost and Pamela J. Spitzmueller for the Newberry Library. Newberry Library
referencedIn Lisl Steiner photographic negatives of Typophiles lectures, 1965-1968 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Apprentice House (Chicago, Ill.) corporateBody
associatedWith Association typographique internationale. corporateBody
associatedWith Bewick, Thomas, 1753-1828. person
associatedWith Buchanan-Taylor, W. person
associatedWith Catich, Edward M. person
ownerOf Cherryburn Press (Chicago, Ill.) corporateBody
associatedWith DaBoll, Raymond F. person
associatedWith Dreyfus, John. person
associatedWith Frost, Gary. person
associatedWith Gill, Eric, 1882-1940 person
associatedWith Graves, Joseph Clark, 1905-1960. person
associatedWith Hammer, Carolyn Reading. person
associatedWith Hammer, Victor Karl, 1882-1967. person
associatedWith Hayes, James, 1907-1994. person
associatedWith International Design Conference in Aspen. corporateBody
associatedWith Kner, Albert. person
associatedWith Kner, Elizabeth. person
associatedWith Ludlow Typograph Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Mangan, James. person
associatedWith Mardersteig, Giovanni, 1892-1977. person
associatedWith Margo, Egdon. person
associatedWith Morison, Stanley, 1889-1967. person
associatedWith Newberry Library corporateBody
associatedWith New Directions Publishing Corp. corporateBody
associatedWith Nichols, Dale, 1904- person
associatedWith Pepler, H. D. C. (Hilary Douglas Clarke), 1878-1951. person
associatedWith Reed, Philip (Philip G.), 1908- person
associatedWith Reiner, Imre, 1900-1987. person
associatedWith Society of Typographic Arts (Chicago, Ill.) corporateBody
associatedWith Sprunger, Leslie. person
associatedWith Standard, Paul, 1896-1992. person
associatedWith Steiner, Lisl, 1927- person
associatedWith Typocrafters (Group). corporateBody
associatedWith Varro, Margaret. person
associatedWith Williams, Gordon R., 1920-1983. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Chicago IL US
Glasgow SCT GB
Subject
Type and type-founding
Type designers
Occupation
Art director
Printer
Type designers
Activity

Person

Birth 1898-05-06

Death 1985-08-03

Male

Americans,

Scots

English

Information

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Ark ID: w6766g78

SNAC ID: 22282414