Douglas C. McMurtrie was a typeface designer, graphic designer and historian of printing. In his early years he was the general manager of the Cheltenham Press and then printing manager of the Columbia University Printing Office, the Arbor Press and Conde Nast Press. He later became the editor of the Ars Typographica magazine and not only designed typefaces but also was instrumental in importing faces from Europe. During the depression, he was the national editor for the Historical Records Survey as part of the WPA. He was Director of Advertising and Typography for the Ludlow Typograph Company until his death in 1944.