unusual ff ligature...

I recently posted the following question on TYPO-L:

“The ff ligature in MT Pastonchi is unusual in two ways: (1) the first f is of greater height than the second, and (2) the ascender of the first leapfrogs well over much of that of the second.

“I’m looking for a precedent for this and cannot seem to find one. Was this novel form of the ff ligature a development of Francesco Pastonchi or of someone else?”

Thanks to Gerald Lange for his interesting and informative reply to the list, and for his permission to reprint it here:

“I have the original Lanston Monotype specimen book that came out with the release of Pastonchi (printed by hand at the Officina Bodoni), which gives a bit of the history and intent. I do not think you will find precedent as I believe this was an attempt to redefine previous typographic misconceptions of Renaissance letterforms. Truly a remarkable typeface. I bought a lot of the metal version for a book I did and the very day I completed printing, Monotype Typography sent me the beta version. I believe this was the last face to be issued before they mergered with Agfa. Found the digital version to be quite exacting to the original and used it for the letterpress-printed prospectus for the book!!!

“Many of the combination characters (ligatures and tied characters) are quite unique. I don't think Pastonchi proved to be much of a commercial success for Lanston or for that matter Agfa Monotype; but it is certainly one of the great neglected serious typographic investigations of the twentieth-century.”

12-July 2002