FournierScale144pts

'The Fournier scale: two inches in total, divided into four half-inches, the medium intervals are one line (​112inch), and the smallest intervals are ​136 inch; no intervals for the point is given, though Fournier printed a reference scale of 144 points over two inches; however, it was too rough to accurately measure a single point[11] (Wikipedia article on Typographic Unit).

Detail map of Paris, Île-de-France, France Overview map of Paris, Île-de-France, France

A: Paris, Île-de-France, France

Pierre-Simon Fournier le Jeune Publishes the Point System or Typographic Unit

1737
Upper portion only of Fournier

Upper portion only of Fournier's chart setting out his typographic point system.

In 1737 Parisian printer and type-founder Pierre-Simon Fournier le Jeune published Tables des proportions des differens caracteres de l'imprimerie, describing his point-system, or typographic unit for the sizes of type. According to Fournier's system, type sizes were multiples of a unit which he termed a "point typographique" based on a scale of 144 points. 

The "Fourier point," was based on a foot, 1 foot equals 12 inches, 1 inch (pouce) was divided into 12 lines (lignes) and 1 line was further divided into 6 typographic points (points typographiques). 1 point Fournier = 0.0135 inches. 

 

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