A super-thrue italian type of XX century is Giovanni Simoncini's 'Aster'. Other nice book-types are 'Simoncini Garamond' (you can find the original Scangraphic version, with SC, at www.fonthaus.com), Giovanni Mardersteig's 'Dante MT', Aldo Novarese's 'ITC Novarese' and 'ITC Fenice'. An interesting type, close to the period of your book, is 'Pastonchi MT'. Otherway you have historical italian types, from Bodonis to Bembo, Poliphilus & Blado, etc.

At www.fonthaus.com you can find thrue Scangraphic (Neufville) 'Simoncini Garamond' exactly searching 'Garamond Simoncini'.
Also 'Jenson Adobe' is a classic Italian historical face.

Many of these would not be very reasonable choices for setting a novel in, however. Most versions of Bodoni wouldn't work well, nor ITC Novarese, nor ITC Fenice. Simoncini Garamond is an Italian version of a French face. I'd say that Dante, Bembo and Adobe Jenson are reasonable options.

Regards,

T

Sorry, Francesco Simoncini, not Giovanni Simoncini.
It is thrue: most versions of Bodoni wouldn't work well. I like 'Berthold Bodoni Old Face', with expert too.
Ciao.

A fresh revival of Bodoni is Noverase's Fenice (ITC)
and I think it could work to set and express that novel,
Mr. Kris Sowersby; it keeps some romantic features
but it is more arrogant in the serifs.

Otherwise I would use a slab, maybe one which looks
quite black on the page, I can't figure out which one now.

PS/
I just got acquainted with a guy from Massey University,
Wellington. I hope to visit New Zealand in the future!
Hej, I could design that typeface for you!
Are you in a hurry? Two years? :-)

Dante is so beautiful, use it.

Pastonchi: perfect suggestion, Fabrizio.

Two Years, Alessandro? Why so long ;-)
I would love to, but I can't afford it. Give
ua a buzz if you ever come to NZ. I'll show
you around if you like.
Thanks for all the suggestions, though. I was starting
to panic a little, thinking I knew of no Italian
types, then remembered that there are
many fine ones. History, history.

As a side note, are there many 'contemporary'
Italian type foundries? I am sure that there
are, but I don't know of any.

Have to do that.
Are you in a hurry? Four years? :-)

Four years? Double the time? Is that
double the price! Can you have it done by,
say, tomorrow? I need roman, italic, smallcaps,
text figures and in two weights. (joking)

So, you must know of some contemporary
italian foundries. Have you read 'Italic 1.0,
contemporary type design in Italy'?

Four years for the foundry :-)
For tomorrow I can send you the comma in OpenType format.
Italic 1.0 is set Giovanni De Faccio's Rialto
and Fabrizio Schiavi's CP Company (www.fsd.it).
Hermann Zapf read "Italic 1.0" because I bought a copy
in Rome another dude from down here sent him.
Counting years, I'll be in the "Italic 5.0," cool!