MalaTesta font family
The MalaTesta fonts are based on a writing sample titled “Lettere piacevolle” and dating from the 16th century. I copied it out of a book from the library years ago but forgot to include the caption and kept no notes concerning the source. After turning it into a font I had to search the Net for information … and I found it! Doing a search for that queer title led me to a Google book by Lewis F. Day on Penmanship of the 16th 17th and 18th century which is displaying my writing sample (among lots of others) and stating that it was taken from A booke containing divers sortes of hands published by J. de Beauchesne and J. Baildon in 1571. Apparently Beauchesne/Baildon didn’t name the writing master who created this “rather fantastic italic hand” — quoting Lewis F. Day’s judgment here; and I don’t think he meant it in an altogether favorable way.