In 1842, Pierre Leclerc, a craftsman, creates a fixed spaces foundry (hand-set metal type to achieve letter-spacing) in Paris.

In 1856, after his death,[3] the company management is entrusted to a friend of his widow, Clémentine Dupont de Vieux Pont (wife Peignot, 1815-1897).

From 1875 to 1898, Gustave Peignot continues to make great profits with fixed spaces production, not amputated this time by refunds to the Veuve Routier.

[4] At this time, Gustave Peignot becomes first President of the Chambre syndicale des maîtres fondeurs typographes (trade association of type foundry masters).

Georges Peignot continues the production of fixed spaces, causing significant growth in sales, and launches studies for new typefaces.

In 12 years, Georges Peignot creates many typefaces: Grasset, Auriol, Cochin, Garamond-Peignot, Bellery-Desfontaines, Naudin, Guy-Arnoux.

The legacy of Georges Peignot is taken hostage by infighting: in 1919, his own mother, Marie Laporte-Peignot, requires its children or their widows the payment of a substantial sum (1 million of French francs, equivalent of USD [2015] 1,4 million) in the form of a capital increase[4] to its competitor Deberny (founded by Balzac in 1826), owned by Charles Tuleu (heir of Alexandre de Berny and husband of Jane Peignot-Tuleu).