The A & Y in your sample are not monotone, and that makes it look like the ATF version of Franklin Gothic, which has that style of R. News Gothic has that style of R, but it is monotone. Your Q description made me think of Folio, but it doesn't have that kind of R, and it is not monotone either. I think foundries had types they just called Gothics, with numbers (like Gothic No.18), but at least the ones in my old Linotype book, looked mostly like Franklin Gothic with the right-of-center Q tail, and the majority of them were condensed.

If you could show the Q, M and G (if all you have is upper case) it would make IDing it easier.

Yes, it's all caps. The loose sheets I have don't include a G - so here's Q, M & Z. (Thank you.)

Except for the Q it looks like an extra heavy weight of Franklin Gothic. I looked (quickly) through Mac McGrew's book on American Metal Typefaces, and didn't see a Franklin Gothic this heavy. Often at extreme weights some of the letterforms are changed. Maybe that's why this Q is different from the usual Franklin Gothic? Another explanation is that sometimes when there is a very popular typeface, as this was for many decades, other foundries develop alternative versions with new names, and one or two slight differences to avoid the appearance of copying the type. This could be from such a face.

Do you know whose specimen book it's from? Is it American? How old is it?

I'll keep looking, but I'm running out of showings of old typefaces.

Some of the Grotesques have similar Q's, but in almost every case I saw, the R was unlike this one, and usually the letters were monotone (even weight strokes).

Record Gothic, designed by R. H. Middleton has a Q like this and the right sort of R, but it is also monotone.

I think I've used up my resources. My best guess is that this is a heavy weight variation of Franklin Gothic from some relatively obscure foundry (whose types didn't make any of the books I looked through).

I was sure I posted a thank you for your efforts, but don't see it. Thanks for your efforts. Knowing it can't be identified (practically) is useful too.

I don't have any full pages of specimen. One piece has this: "TRO ALPHABET AND NUMERAL SERVICE" TRO being at the very edge, therefore probably the end of a word. The tiny slugs say "AS 3002 M.P. 30"

As a first-time user, I'm not sure of the etiquette. Since the exact font may not be available for purchase, is it OK to ask for suggestions?

My business associate will want something with a similar "feel" - clean and strong. I'd like something that also has a little more interest, a little more "finish," a little more contemporary.

TIA if it's a fair question; sorry if it belongs elsewhere.

Absolutely ask for suggestions on alternative fonts if the original is not available.

One alternative -- especially if your associate wants a number of different weights, is Knockout by H&FJ. The letterforms are different, but on the whole it's a very powerful face with many weights.

I think that's a fair question. What we don't appreciate is 'can you tell me where I can get something like it for free?'

My suggestion is to go over to The Font Pool and pick the style category you are interested in. Then type in a word or two that you want to use. They will show you hundreds, if not thousands of fonts using those words (or letters), and you can pick one that way.

The reason I suggest that, instead of suggesting a font, is that 'clean and strong', 'interest', 'finish' and 'contemporary' are all very subjective terms. You know what you mean by them.

You can also do something similar at MyFonts.com if you register. You can set up your own sample phrase for the font showings.

Now, having said all that, I will say that what seems 'contemporary' these days is geometric fonts, because we are in a retro stage where Art Deco and Bauhaus looks are apparently 'in' again. Hoefler & Frere-Jones Gotham is used a lot, and Futura is timeless and has lots of weights. I'd start with one of those.

Otiz-Lopez's Franklin Wide is the closer I have found to your sample, even though doesn't have that Q.
Other alternatives besides the knockout in the style:
Aaux Poster and Ultra.
Wendelin Breitfeff.

A little far but for clean and strong feel I would also take a look at Stratum 1&2.

"A little far but for clean and strong feel I would also take a look at Stratum 1&2."

I like it a lot. Both heavy as masthead, and in lighter weights elsewhere in the pub. Suspect it would be a "challenge" for the new client. Just emailed Process to see if there's a way to prototype the masthead so he can see it, calm down, and have a chance to like it..

I see the "(Vote!) link off to the side. As a good forum citizen, should I be using this? (Let me serve notice that when volunteers are expanding my horizons, I don't aim for objectivity, I vote high.)

Good luck !