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From: dhoyt@vx.acs.umn.edu
Newsgroups: comp.fonts
Subject: Re: Looking for fonts...
Message-ID: <2571@ux.acs.umn.edu>
Date: 26 Oct 90 13:36:01 GMT
Sender: news@ux.acs.umn.edu
Organization: University of Minnesota, Academic Computing Services
Lines: 27

In article <1397@carol.fwi.uva.nl>, freek@fwi.uva.nl (Freek Wiedijk) writes...
>What I meant by `best' was `closest to the (original) lead type'.
>So, for example, I wanted to know which Postscript Garamond resembles
>the original Monotype Garamond (of which the history is described in
>`a Tally of Types' by Stanley Morison) most.

  People have been making copies of Garamonds work for a long time.  I believe
that his widow's second husband even produced a copy of his own.  The
'original' Monotype was not particularly original, nor a revial of Garamond's
work.  I believe that the sample that was used as a basis was actually
another's interpretation of an original Garamond type.

  Garamond produced more than one type, also.  What is considered a 'Garamond'
face today was Garamond's interpretation of Nicholus Jensen's roman, one of
the first, and still considered one of the best designed, roman face.  The end
of this all is that there is no 'true' Garamond face that is still in
existance, at least any than are known.  All the commercial fonts are
interpretations; with their strengths and weakness. Indeed, Garamond's originals
had their strengths and weaknesses too.

  There are many fine old style faces on the market today.  For digital type, 
I am fond of Stemple Garamond and Adobe Garamond from Adobe.  I am also very
fond of Bruce Roger's Centar, although I am not sure if there is a good digital
rendering of this font.  Digital type is not quite up to the standard of cold
type or lead but it is getting closer.  Look around, smell the ink, have fun.

david