Peter, you already know about Alistair Johnston's book I suspect: "Alphabets to Order. Literature of Nineteenth-Century Typefounders' Specimens". In addition there's a cool old article that might help: "Advertising for a Type Foundry" by J J de L Meyer, in the Penrose Annual 1968 (pp 198-208). It has some pretty cool and unique examples (like type on a pear). Let me know if you'd like a copy (although my own copy isn't so hot).

My own font specimens suck, but I've collected a ton of stuff from other foundries. I've divided them into three groups: regular (90% of my collection), third-party (stuff done by users), and "pinnacle" (the best of the best). If it might help you to know the members of the third group, let me know.

hhp

I don't have the Johnston book.

I'll snailmail you a copy of the de L Meyer article if you remind me of your ground address.

To me the best specimen book in history is the 1908 Enschede. The 1978 is great too - just not sublime like the 1908 is. You might consider a sidebar article on it/them.

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I got a request for the contents of my "pinnacle" group, but I figured to just put it up here too, so here it is, in no particular order:

- The 1908 Enschede
- Gentium booklet (V Gaultney)
- The Centaur Types (B Rogers)
- Lexicon booklet (B de Does)
- Johnston Sans (ITC)
- Tact in Typographical Design [Octavian] (S Morison)
- Ex Ponto (Adobe)
- Sabon Next (Linotype)
- She's the Best of the Mall (Veer)
- Newspaper Type (Font Bureau)
- An Exhibit of Garamond Type (Redfield-Kendrick-Odell)

hhp