Author Topic: For Your Viewing Pleasure  (Read 2810 times)

Offline AnasaziWrites

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For Your Viewing Pleasure
« on: December 03, 2014, 10:22:12 AM »
(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?

« Last Edit: December 03, 2014, 10:26:51 AM by AnasaziWrites »

Offline Scarlet Blue

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Re: For Your Viewing Pleasure
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2014, 11:33:30 AM »
Nice, thank you for sharing.
I especially like the 'y' forms in the second picture.
Can't help you in relation to the thins... but it looks like someone has found the perfect nib, ink, paper combo... so there is hope!

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: For Your Viewing Pleasure
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2014, 11:58:09 AM »
Fabulous find! Thanks for sharing!
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline schin

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Re: For Your Viewing Pleasure
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2014, 04:56:05 PM »
It's so beautiful and organic.. could be a quill made from a smaller feather-bird like crow or some such for the really fine and small letters. We could be underestimating how fine and flexible a traditional feather quill could be.. I've read somewhere that they are much much better than steel nibs even though they don't last as long.
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Offline Moya

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Re: For Your Viewing Pleasure
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2014, 06:58:37 PM »
This is really beautiful!  I love things like this - especially finding them in the wild. I used to work writing wills and powers of attorney, and I came across some gorgeously written titles and deeds.  They're not valid in Australia any more - it's all electronic, and any old deeds have been cancelled, but people are allowed to keep them, so there are quite a few in will safes around the country.  It just feels special to look at something someone wrote a century ago!