an experienced pressman can probably look at a page and know if something is 9pt on 3pts of leading, or 12pts on 2pts or all sorts of combinations. or maybe they can't, i don't know. what i do know is that i cannot do so. this balance between the text size and the space between lines is rather important, regardless if you know exactly what you're looking at.

one of the best ways for me to learn something is to have ready examples available. in this vein, i'm lucky enough to have access to the run of Matrix, a beautifully printed periodical on fine printing. it ran for 36 issues and probably comprises well north of 7500 pages. i've found a number of articles which mention the type size and leading they're printed at and decided to keep a log here as a reference, but hopefully to aid in those seeking similar information. should you have other examples from the world of printing, please don't hesitate to let me know.