Haas’sche Schriftgiesserei

Type foundry in Münchenstein near Basel, where Helvetica was designed in 1957 as Neue Haas Grotesk.

For several generations the Haas family ran a type foundry in Basel, which later moved to Münchenstein. The foundry bought other Swiss and French foundries and became one of the most important in Switzerland.

Eduard Hoffmann commissioned Max Miedinger to draw a new sans serif, and Neue Haas Grotesk appeared in 1957. Linotype gave it the name Helvetica in 1960. Haas was absorbed into Linotype in 1989.

Specimens with Haas’sche Schriftgiesserei and the Münchenstein address.

Metal type with the foundry's mark on the side.

• Typography
• Helvetica
• Max Miedinger