The Englishman William Caslon punchcut many roman, italic, and non-Latin typefaces from 1720 until his death in 1766. Caslon achieved a level of craft that enabled his recognition as the first great English punchcutter. The original Caslon specimen sheets and punches have long provided a fertile source for the range of types bearing his name.

Caslon Open Face first appeared in 1915 from the Barnhart Bros. & Spindler foundry, and is not anything like the true Caslon types despite the name. It is intended exclusively for titles, headlines and initials, and looks elegant whether used with the more authentic Caslon types or by itself.