What is "simoncini"

Simoncini SA was a manufacturer of linecaster matrices established by Italian type designer Francesco Simoncini shortly after the Second World War. Simoncini had worked with the Ludwig & Mayer foundry before becoming the founder and managing director of his own firm in Bologna, Italy. In 1956, he was invited by Giulio Einaudi to design a new typeface for his publishing house. Einaudi wanted a new face based on Garamond, and the result was Simoncini Garamond, loosely based on the original. It was successfully used by Einaudi, and subsequently adopted by many other publishers. Another of his typefaces, Aster, is still very popular. He designed it in 1958, and originally intended it for use in newspapers and books. Simoncini died in 1967. Digital versions of his fonts are now available through Linotype.