A set of caps with solid top and open bottom halves, contoured, shaded and decorated. Originated circa 1820 at Joseph Gillé¹. [source?] The Bruce type foundry had a similar typeface named Ornamented No. 881 (around 1865), which was revived in the 20th century as Circus by Typefounders of Phoenix (before 1967, but after 1962, continued by Los Angeles Type Founders) [McGrew, Circuitous Root, MacMillan] Subsequently released from a variety of sources under a variety of names, with small differences in the details. This entry is used unless a specific version can be identified.

Other known versions and aliases include Romantique No. 8 (foundry type, FTF? [source?]), Rome (Filmotype, after ca. 1958 and before ca. 1974, copied by VGC as M-15), Roma (?), Calliope (dry transfer, Mecanorma, 1967 [ad in Ariadne]), Circus (Photo-Lettering [1969 Alphabet Yearbook]), Madame (Berthold Fototypes, before 1974 [E1 catalog]), Circus Caps (Castcraft, “similar to Rome M-14 Romantique No. 8” [1978 catalog]).

Digital versions include Madame (Linotype), OPTI Circus Caps (Castcraft, 1990–1994), Maison Luxe (fka Gillé Classic, FontMesa, 2004), and Home Style (FontMesa, 2004).

1) “For many years Joseph Gillé was credited as the original designer of this font however we've recently been contacted by a type historian in France reporting that he could not find any evidence supporting Joseph Gillé as the designer and to the best of his knowledge an artist by the name of Sylvestre may be the true designer.” – Hagemann