Product Description

In the mid-1800's, the Spencerian form of penmanship became a standard. An elegant handwriting was much prized. Today, in our computer age, a fine, beautiful, and legible handwriting brings a warm personal touch to our correspondence. These books, 5 copybooks and a theory book (available separately or as a set), may be used to introduce cursive writing to second or third graders or to improve the handwriting of older students or adults.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46109 in Books
• Published on: 1985-02-01
• Released on: 1985-02-01
• Number of items: 5
• Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews

Real penmanship
A wonderful set of books if you're serious about penmanship, or wanting to see what those super-flex nibs in your collection can really do. It's been a very, very long time indeed since I sat down with a ruled exercise book and copied letters in an uncertain hand, so this was a slightly surreal (and highly therapeutic) experience all round. You need to set aside some time in a quiet room to work through the exercises and read the theory thoroughly, but it's worth it. It's also a fascinating glimpse into long-vanished teaching methods. Recommended for anyone interested in calligraphy or acquiring the principles of a more elegant hand. Best approached with a very flexible nib and plenty of patience.

From a Layman's Point of View
From where I sit, this packet of booklets (theory and practice) is ideal for what I am seeking. I inherited several fountain pens from both my father and my grandfather, and became interested in using them with a degree of skill. My penmanship is improving, and my respect for the equipment is deepening.

The current publisher has added a Preface that helps put the information in context. I am neither a historian, nor a calligrapher - but this piece of work has given my a bit of insight to events of the past.

Of Historical Interest
This is a reissue of the 1870's text with the 'long s' removed and the upper case S modified - changes that make it less useful than otherwise for those interested in historic scripts and teaching methods.

As a historical document, it's a good value. I was unaware, for example, that one of the recommended writing positions had the student turned 90 degrees to the desk, or that classrooms would open copybooks, open inkwells, and dip pens in synchronization to a signal or countdown from the teacher. These are details that made me glad to have the book.

If you are interested in teaching handwriting to a child, then this is a very poor choice. Spencerian became obsolete in the 1890's, and the teaching method in this book is very poor - it's of the "will you analyse the letter p?" "how do you make the letter r?" type. There are really no exercises for the student and few examples of letters even written as words. Particularly the lower case 'c' and 'p' are legibility problems for anyone born after 1902, as they are quite idiosyncratic.