Photos, videos and docs of Alan Mays, with the keywords: "penmanship"

Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Shoemaker, Dakota, Illinois

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 05:07:02 +0000

A postcard-sized example of ornamental penmanship featuring a flourished bird. The piece is unsigned and may date to as early as the 1880s or 1890s.

"Compliments of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Shoemaker, Dakota, Ill."

Joseph Shellenberger Shoemaker (1854-1936) was a well-known bishop in the Mennonite Church. He and his wife, Elizabeth Sechrist Brubaker (1856-1931), were married in 1877, and they were members of the Freeport Mennonite Church in Freeport, Illinois.

For additional examples of bird flourishes and other ornamental penmanship, see my Writing, Lettering, Flourishing album and the Clinton Clark Scrapbook, which was uploaded to the Internet Archive by IAMPETH (International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers, and Teachers of Handwriting).

Charles Smith—Ornamental Pensmanship on a Calling Card

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 20:27:20 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

"Chas. H. Smith. Compliments." (I'm not sure that the middle initial is H, however.)

An impressive example of ornamental penmanship on a hand-drawn and -lettered "flourished" calling card that likely dates to the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Note how the bird appears to be eyeing an insect of some sort.

Here are some other similarly ornate cards:

Although it's not as ornate, this flourished card also features a bird chasing after an insect:

This one's even simpler:

The design on the following calling card is printed, but it imitates the hand-drawn and -lettered cards:

Spencerian Steel Pens Are the Best

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 20:10:46 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

"Spencerian Steel Pens are the best. Da locum melioribus."

Cover of a folded nib card, circa 1890s. Nib pens (or dip pens) were used for Spencerian Script and other writing styles. The metal tips, or nibs, of the pens were sold separately, and some came in small cardboard folders that had covers with elaborate designs like this.

Hetty Geist

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 20:27:12 +0000

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Clara H. Watkins, Landlady, Hotel, Long Green, Md.

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Tue, 23 Jun 2015 18:28:16 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

"Clara H. Watkins, Landlady, Hotel, Long Green, Md."

E. E. Casselberry

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 22:16:57 +0000

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