Collecting and Caring for Personal Correspondence

Oh, For the Love of Letters!

_________________________________Brad WestwoodCollection Development LDS Church History Librarybrad.westwood@ldschurch.org October 29, 2009

Oh For the Love of Letters!

This hands-on seminar for collecting and caring for personal correspondence.

Littera Scripta Manet, Latin for “The Written Word Remains,” taken from the motto of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners (scribes) of the City of London.

* INCITE PERSONAL COLLECTING

* SERVE AS A PRIMER FOR COLLECTING

* NURTURE A COMMUNITY OF COLLECTORS

* ENCOURAGE HANDWRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE

Purpose of this Presentation

Oh For the Love of Letters!

Examples of Correspondence –Printed Emails

(examples of correspondence are passed around)

Oh For the Love of Letters!

1 - LINGO & ORGANIZATIONS (a handout is passed out)

•A Beginner’s Basic Glossary•General Terms and Concepts•Condition Descriptive Terms•Terms Related to Printing, Illustrations & Writing•Terms About Paper/Stationery•Professional Organizations

Oh For the Love of Letters!

2 - Correspondence Accessories

* Stationery Wardrobes (differentfor men and women) * Letters & Envelopes Development * Pens * Postage

STATIONERY WARDROBE (LATE 19TH - MID 20TH CENTURY)

*A STATIONER KEPT ON FILE A CLIENT’S INDIVIDUAL SPECIFICATIONS -- WITH DIFFERING PAPER SIZES AND WEIGHTS, FINISHES AND INK COLOR, TYPESTYLE AND PRINTING.

* WARDROBE INCLUDES DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALE OR FEMALE, FORMAL AND INFORMAL, FOR INTIMATE OR FOR A STRANGER, ALSO BUSINESS FORMAL AND INFORMAL

Correspondence Accessories

Oh For the Love of Letters!

Examples of Correspondence –Stationery Wardrobe

(examples of wardrobes are passed around)

FERN LETTER FOLD, THANKS TOWWW.GHH.COM/ELF/INDEX.HTML

Correspondence Accessories

Correspondence Accessories

WRITING TOOLS - QUILLS, FOUNTAIN PENS (SEE BELOW), BALL POINT PENS, TYPEWRITERS AND PENCILS

POSTAGE -- POST MARKS, SEALS OR ADHESIVE STAMPS

PICTORIAL LETTERHEADS (CREATED WITH THE ADVENT

OF LITHOGRAPHY) FLOURISHED BETWEEN 1880S-1940S

Correspondence Accessories

Oh For the Love of Letters!

3 - 19th and 20th Century Material Culture of Correspondence:furniture, writing utensils, storage and stationery

ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S CAPITAL BLDG. SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS

Furniture of Correspondence

CIVIL WAR ERA SECRETARY DESK AND CHAIR,WITH SOFT RETRACTABLE WRITING SLOPE WITH CORRESPONDENCE AND LEDGER SLOTS

Furniture of Correspondence

DESK INTERIOR WITH SLOTS/PIGEON HOLES FOR FOLDED LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS, LEDGER OR PORTFOLIO SLOTS , QUILL PENS IN A STAND, AN INK WELL AND LEATHER WRITING SURFACE .

Furniture of Correspondence

SECRETARY DESK WITH BOOK CASE AND DOCUMENT BUREAU

Furniture of Correspondence

NATURAL, CANDLE & LAMP LIGHT

Furniture of Correspondence

CIRCA 1860S DOCUMENT CABINET FOR FOLDED PAPER TIED WITH TAPE (RED TAPE)

Furniture of Correspondence

FELT COVERED TABLE, CORRESPONDENCE BOX, OIL LAMP, PEN BOX AND PAPER

Furniture of Correspondence

CABINET LETTER FILE 1898 (FROM WWW.OFFICEMUSEUM.COM/)

Furniture of Correspondence

VERTICAL LETTER FILE AND FOLDERS 1902 FROM WWW.OFFICEMUSEUM.COM/

Furniture of Correspondence

Oh For the Love of Letters!

Examples of Correspondence (examples are passed out)

Oh For the Love of Letters!

4 - Penmanship Styles 1840s -2000

Spencerian Script (1840-1890s) Palmer Script (1890s – 1960s)Zaner – Blazer Script (1900 –

present)Manuscript Script (block) leading to Basic Cursive Script (1920s –

1970s)Typewriting (1900 – present)

Freeform and Modern

SPENCERIAN SCRIPT (1840-1890S) PROMOTER: PLATT ROGERS

SPENCER

Penmanship Styles

SPENCERIAN SCRIPT (1840-1890S)

Penmanship Styles

TRADE MARK SPENCERIAN SCRIPT AND A FLOURISH BIRD

(ORNAMENTAL PENMANSHIP)

Penmanship Styles

Penmanship Styles

PALMER SCRIPT (1890S -1960S)PROMOTER: AUSTIN PALMER

(1860-1927) AND SONS

Penmanship Styles

Penmanship Styles

ZANER AND BLOSER SCRIPTS (CA. 1904 TO THE PRESENT)

Penmanship Styles

ZANER AND BLOSER BUSINESS EDUCATOR FEB 1911

Penmanship Styles

ZANER AND BLOSER SCRIPT

Penmanship Styles

MANUSCRIPT WRITING (BLOCK) (PRECURSOR TO CURSIVE

WRITING)INTRODUCED IN 1920S

Penmanship Styles

ZANER AND BLOSER MANUSCRIPT SCRIPT ON A PORCH OF

ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL (PROVO, UTAH)

Penmanship Styles

http://www.iampeth.com/

IAMPETH is an international, non-profit association dedicated to practicing and preserving the beautiful arts of calligraphy, engrossing and fine penmanship.

Oh For the Love of Letters!

Examples of Correspondence

19th and 20th century pieces

Oh For the Love of Letters!

5 - Physical Care & Preservation

ELIMINATE OR LESSEN FLUCTUATING TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY.

CARE AND PRESERVATION

STORE MATERIALS AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE FROM WATER SOURCES.

CARE AND PRESERVATION

ELIMINATE OR LESSEN LIGHT LEVELS (NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL).

CARE AND PRESERVATION

USE FOLDERS, INTERLEAVING PAPER OR MYLAR INSERTS FOR ENCLOSED OBJECTS, ETC.

CARE AND PRESERVATION

KEEP MATERIALS FLAT OR UPRIGHT, HELD UP ERECT, SO THE MATERIALS WILL NOT BEND OR FOLD.

CARE AND PRESERVATION

KEEP EVERYTHING INCLUDED WITH A LETTER TOGETHER, AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE ORIGINAL ORDER.

RESPECT AND PROTECT WHAT IS EVIDENTIARY.

CARE AND PRESERVATION

IF YOU WANT TO SCRAPBOOK YOUR CORRESPONDENCE …..

CARE AND PRESERVATION

ABOVE ALL ELSE “DO NOT HARM.”

CARE AND PRESERVATION

Oh For the Love of Letters!

Examples of Correspondence

(handed out and described)

Oh For the Love of Letters!

6 - Recommended Supplies:

Folders (regular, acid free, Mylar, archival plastics), containers,presentation folders, portfolios and binders.

Oh For the Love of Letters!

6 - Recommended Supplies:

Metal Edge West (Los Angeles, CA) http://www.metaledgeinc.com/

Light Impressions, Inc., (Santa Fe Springs, CA) http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/servlet/OnlineShopping

Oh For the Love of Letters!

THANK YOU FOR

COMING