Re: Query: Hermann Zapf and/or the 'Zapf Dingbat' type style

["Gene G. Freeman" <genefree@speed.net>]

>Please relieve my lack of knowledge:
>
>When browsing through the recently-announced Catalog from Forrest Books (No.
>88, Part 1), I came across two books on Typography, written by Hermann Zapf.
>Judging from the annotations, Zapf is/was an important creator of new type
>styles.
>
>The Name Zapf reminded me of "Zapf Dingbats", a style that is usually s part
>of the standard set that comes computer  word processing software.
>
>Can anyone shed light on the history of Hermann Zapf and/or the Zapf Dingbat
>type style?  Did Hermann Zapf create the Zapf Dingbat type style? Was it
>named in honor of him? What was/is Hermann Zapf's generally considered
>importance in his field?
>
>Thank you.
>
>Sincerely,
>Satya Prem

Most computer type foundries offer Zapf Dingbats as part of an ITC Zapf
Chancery bundle. Quite a bit has been written about Zapf and his type
designs, and Stempel Foundry, Frankfurt am Main, did an English language
biography in 1960. He is certainly an important type designer and, as noted
in the original post, has written several monographs on the subject. A
check of books in print or any of the several on-line book data bases
should give plenty of references. As to why Apple Computer chose Zapf
Dingbats as their standard picture font when they started the desktop
publishing revolution is something you'll have to ask them. I don't think
the use of the term "dingbat" as a catchall for picture fonts and printer's
ornaments has anything to do with Mr. Zapf. I would speculate that picture
font that has name was given that title because of the Zapf Chancery
bundling rather than his design of the font. The name is copyright but the
same font images show up under many other names. Someone at either Monotype
(I seem to recall they were bought by someone but their Chicago offices are
still operative) or Adobe should be able to answer if the images are really
designs by Herman Zapf.

Gene Freeman