McMurtrie was born in Belmar, New Jersey and attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After leaving school without a degree, he worked as a newspaper reporter, statistician, free-lance designer, and printing broker. After several years, his design work came to the attention of Ingalls Kimball, who appointed McMurtrie general manager of the Cheltenham Press. He subsequently served as printing manager of the Columbia University Printing Office, the Arbor Press, and Condé Nast Press.
Involvement with design and typography
During this period McMurtrie designed two type faces and helped design the format of the New Yorker magazine. He was instrumental in forming the Continental Type Founders Association, which imported types from Europe, serving as the company’s first vice-president. He also imported several faces from Europe on his own, including Cochin and Didot. During 1925/26, he succeeded Frederic Goudy as editor of the prestigious Ars Typographica magazine.
Later career
After another period of free-lancing, McMurtrie moved to Chicago, where he spent a year as typographic director of the Cuneo Press before leaving to become director of advertising and typography at Ludlow Typograph Company. Though he designed one typeface for Ludlow, his duties there primarily consisted of writing advertising copy. He held this position until the end of his life.
Scholarly work
While at Ludlow, McMurtrie was allowed much time for research, resulting in many books, including one volume of A History of Printing in the United States, and later The Book: the Story of Printing & Bookmaking, both of which won much acclaim. Having established himself as one of the most important bibliographers of printing, McMurtrie was appointed to head up the Works Progress Administration’sAmerican Imprints Inventory. This project resulted in thirty-five publications as well as more than fifteen million documents being deposited in the Library of Congress.
Personal life
McMurtrie was a large man, weighing over 300 pounds, and was known for his engaging personality. He was much involved in charities for the crippled. He married Adele Kohler in 1915 and they had three children. He died suddenly of a heart attack in Evanston, Illinois at age 55.
Typefaces
McMurtrie Tile, capitals only, based on an 18th-century Dutch face by J.F. Rosart.
Vanity Fair Tile, capitals only, based on an 18th-century Dutch face by J.F. Rosart.
A History of Printing in the United States: The Story of the Introduction of the Press and of Its History and Influence during the Pioneer Period in Each State of the Union,, in collaboration with Albert H. Allen, R.R. Bowker, N.Y.C., 1936.
