A quick pointer: in cartography left-leaning italics are used for rivers.

hhp

Yes I know about it, but I'm trying to find some another historical source, nevertheless thank you!

Concerning upright Italics, you might ask Martin Majoor.

hhp

@hrant

could you point me towards a citation/reference for the left leaning italics in cartography

http://www.typophile.com/node/87753
http://typophile.com/node/30747
http://www.typophile.com/node/43331
http://typophile.com/node/54634

But if you mean outside of Typophile: no. :-)

hhp

... thats the only other place I've seen it too. I've contacted some cartography experts and they cant find me an example either...

Thanks for the trail, I'll keep my nose to the ground.

This might be your best lead:
http://typophile.com/node/54634#comment-328296

hhp

haha, thnx. I've already email him though...

Note:

The German word "linkskursiv" (literally "left italic") was presumably used first in conjunction with the Bauer foundry typeface "Venus linkskursiv". In old German-English typeface catalogs, it was translated as "Venus reclining". For modern samples see www.myfonts.com/fonts/linotype/venus/venuslinkskursiv

What's amazing about Kursivschrift is that it looks so 21st-century.

hhp

Agreed, I think its the ball terminals and the extended finishes/serifs