What follows is the text of a recent post (by "Character") to comp.fonts.
The Solopedia Project
A compendium of digital fonts that match the typefaces displayed in "The Solotype Catalog of 4,147 Display Typefaces" (1992, by Dan X. Solo, Dover Publications, 1992)
Towards the end of 2009, "Fontana" issued a spreadsheet containing a list of the typefaces contained in the Solotype Catalog. At the same time, "Character" was preparing a similar concordance, which wasn't nearly as far along as Fontana's, so her spreadsheet became the template for the project.
Since then Character has taken the reins, and with the contributions, ideas, and assistance of many others, has been publishing an updated version monthly. This is posted to alt.binaries.fonts (a usenet group) and to annexcafe.fonts (a newsgroup on a stand-alone news server).
The name "Solopedia" was suggested by "La Vie Dansante" and has since become the name generally used for the spreadsheet, the project and associated web pages.
A web-friendly current version of the Solopedia can be found at: http://fontek.fateback.com/
There are also related pages that include references to all of Dan Solo's Alphabet books, http://fontek.fateback.com/alphabet_book_fonts.htm
No organized search for fonts matching those in the alphabet books has been undertaken; many of the alphabets are already represented in the Solotype Catalog.
Note that except as designers and foundries are listed in the Solopedia, this is not a source for the identified digital versions. The fontek website has added many links to commercial distributors such as MyFonts, and links to sources for the numerous legitimately free fonts that have been identified. Some of these free fonts have been created as a result of the Solopedia Project, as have some commercial fonts.
In March, 2012, in Annexcafe.fonts, "Tommy" asked about the goal of the Solopedia, to which Fontana provided the following eloquent response:
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FWIW: Here is a little about the emotion and affection I think is helping to sustain the Solopedia project.
Whatever its flaws, the once widely-circulated and affordable Dover-published "Solotype Catalog .." was either the original introduction (or one of several introductory sources) for typeface appreciation and desire for many hobbyists. Without exhaustive coverage (impossible), that publication successfully communicated the idea that typefaces exist in astonishing variety and that studying them can be fascinating and fun. It still gives me a smile just to flip through its pages. (Or maybe I am just easily amused?)
For one, I did not even realize at the time I encountered the Solocat that other typeface catalogs even existed. (Silly ignorance; typesetting and print shops had to buy them somewhere.) The idea that there might be access to digital versions of many, even most of the quirky faces for play or even practical purposes seemed almost too good to be true. Not only has the project already located more digital equivalents than any of the participants once thought possible, but it has spurred a number of volunteers more talented than I to create over a hundred new digitizations of Solo faces where none previously existed. Unexpected delight.
Collecting free and affordable typefaces appeals to me more than collecting insects, matchbooks, coins, stamps, or a variety of other collectibles -- though perhaps for some of the same reasons that collectors in those hobbies are excited about their interest. Once "hooked" on the idea, the project apparently seems self-evidently worthwhile to a number of the participants. I much appreciate how much farther it has developed collectively than any of us could have taken it as a (pun intended) solo task. A pleasant shock.
I am guardedly hoping that someday someone will at least discover and share the provenance of the mystery faces from pages 192 to 202. Though some are standards, and some look like they could be from a single vendor collection, others among them don't produce a single Google hit, and don't seem to match designs known by other names. A few examples: British, Callorte, Clova, Hotspur, Jaeger, Lothario, Monkton, Rivington. [Ed. note: Digitized matches for British, Callorte, Jaeger, Lothario, and Monkton, have since been found. Fontana herself found a light version of Hotspur.]
The typeface community seems populated by friendly, intelligent, helpful, generous people with a great sense of humor. Sometimes a visit is a warm vacation from a colder, harsher world. Contributing to the hobby can be a way to virtually hang out with these good folk. Wow, if I wax any more poetic I'll have to switch to iambic pentameter or add a music track.
Hugs to whomever wants them.
Fontana --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional matches are more than welcome. Information can be posted here; use the work Solopedia in the subject.
- Herb