The Bradley stencil machine and the Bradley Stencil Machine Company are named after their inventor – Andrew Jackson Bradley.

The world’s first stencil machine, patented in 1893, was the Bradley horizontal model, also called the “Long Bradley”. It punched a stencil typeface in 1/2 or in 3/4 inch size.  The typeface has a Roman design, but it is very different compared to the common U.S. Roman stencil type, which is based on a bold Clarendon typeface. The “Bradley” Roman is more like a typewriter typeface.

In 1898 the circular stencil cutting machines were invented. Bradley company used the same (Bradley) Roman typeface for these machines for a long time.

Until about 1936, the Bradley Stencil machines were manufactured. The Bradley Stencil Machine company were then acquired by competitor Diagraph Corporation. So working Bradley machines are really rare these days.

One of those early circular Bradley stencil cutters, with a 3/4 inch typeface, was used to draw the Vtg Stencil Bradley 075 fonts. However, many aspects of the original typeface, such as the uneven stem widths, have been fixed to create a pleasing font for modern use.

The font is particularly suitable for all restorations or props for historical marking tasks, especially around 1900 and the First World War. Of course, it is also fun to use these fonts for completely different things today.