Fonderie de Firmin Didot pere et fils
The pattern
This still is filed under Specimen as proof.
Define
A specimen (type, material, finish) is shown so the product proves itself under comparison.
Mechanism
Controlled display. Same conditions, side by side, no adjective required. The sample is the sentence.
Verdict
Buyers choose by eye or by hand and we can put the real thing in front of them.
Why it works
As a simple flyleaf, it provides a quiet pause before the highly structured and disciplined didone typography inside.
Steal this when
When pacing a book to allow the reader a moment of physical interaction (turning a blank page) before revealing the main content.