(note: I'm not sure this is the correct place on the Forum to place this post, so Erica, feel free to move it. It has many elements of roundhand, as most of the miniscules are shaded, but the shape of some letters, particularly the o's, looks Spencerian).
While visiting relatives in Maryland, the eastern shore of the Chesapeake, I visited an antique/flea market, ever on the lookout for the elusive sealed box of Principality #1's or the undiscovered copy of the Declaration of Independence. No luck so far, but ran across a bunch of letters and other written material from a long time family of Talbot county, a member of which recently died, hence, probably, the appearance of this material in one little shop.
This piece, a copy of an auditor's report concerning an estate settlement, was penned by a clerk in 1874. I find it very pleasing to the eye, and particularly interesting in that this was not the fine work of a master penman suitable for presentation, but rather the every day work of a clerk, a Mr. Frank Turner, who made several copies for the concerned parties as a product of his every day work.
In particular, I was curious as to how he made his thins so very, very fine. I'm not sure if the scan can pick them up, but I've never seen thins this thin with one exception, a card by A. R. Dunton I have. The loops on his ascenders and descenders are so narrow, yet distinct, even the shaded f's, and such $ signs.
I wonder if this might have been done by a quill. If not, what kind of point might make this kind of thins? Any thoughts? I've tried a lot of vintage points, including the dream points, but can't get thins like this, even with walnut ink (of course, this may be the result of my skill level). This appears to be an iron gall ink--very black.
What do you think of this? How was it done?