Frank Hinman Pierpont started his career in patent law in the US, before moving to Europe to work for the Berlin-based company Typograph AG promoting the Rogers Typograph composing linecaster. Pierpont became their managing director before he was was hired by the English company Lanston Monotype Machine Company in 1899 to help set up their factories in Salfords, Surrey. The core of his team were brought in from Typograph AG, including Fritz Max Steltzer, who became the head of the drawing office at Monotype.Eason, 1991, p. 131–132.

Pierpont mainly worked on adapting exisiting typefaces for use in Monotype’s machines. Pierpoint is credited as designer of Plantin alongside Steltzer. The typeface was modeled on a design by the French punchcutter Robert Granjon entitled Gros Cicero.Macmillan, 2006, p. 147.

Monokrom’s Fabric Serif list Plantin as one of its references.