| found: 6 books |
Beginning with the outline of an idea "I have spoken of the subtle effect of the italic script.." roughly penned on 2 sheets of 9 inch high by 6-1/4 inch wide paper with the return address "Livres Anciens Maurice Bridel", probably wrappers for a book catalog, which the bookseller had mailed him from Lausanne, Switzerland on July 28, 1956. Postmarked, with Paul Standard's typed address. Using the ample blank space, Paul Standard has begun to pen a letter upon the theme outlined above. There are profuse corrections throughout.
A second letter, penned in sepia ink on 11 inch high by 7-3/4 inch wide buff paper begins with the same thoughts "In another place I have spoken of the subtle effect of the italic script upon the quality of a writer's prose.." the fifth line of this letter continues with "But there are vast legions who seem quite.." with the word "happy" scratched out and replaced with "content" .. "with their ball-point 'pens'.." There are several corrections with words crossed out such as replacing "the person" with "those who have" and the addition of the word "dynamic". This version of the letter is not signed but Paul Standard has numbered each line from the sixth one down, starting with the number 1 through 22. The first 5 lines will no longer appear in subsequent rewrites.
Next he has rewritten lines 1 through 18, starting with "But there are vast legions" on 7-3/8 inch high by 8-1/2 inch wide creamy white quality paper, numbering each line. There are several corrections throughout. This letter is also not signed.
Continuing to develop the letter or essay, Standard has rewritten it on quality 11 inch high by 8-3/8 inch wide creamy white quality paper. Signed in full with several corrections in ink & pencil.
Next is a clean rewrite on 11 by 8-3/8 inch quality paper without any corrections. Signed by Paul Standard.
Another copy with no apparent changes to the text but with the calligraphy penned and laid out slightly differently. Also signed in full by Paul Standard.
Another layout, with the first lines changed to: "But then there's the writer who seems quite content with is ball-point 'pen', who does not even think of italic. Him I should wish not to convert but rather to help in this way.." There are a couple of corrections. Signed in full "Paul Standard".
Now we come to a clean rewrite, with the calligraphic text attractively laid out, signed in ful by Paul Standard.
And finally, the final version is another beautifully calligraphed rewrite with yet a final change. Where the third line previously read "Him I should wish not to convert but rather to help..", it now reads "Him I should wish less to convert but to help.." Signed in full "Paul Standard".
A wonderful unique archive of the development of a calligraphic letter on the very subject of calligraphy by Paul Standard.
Mostly fine and housed in 2 folded folios sheets of parchment paper.
The beautifully crafted letter or essay now reads thus: "But then there's the writer who seems quite content with his ball-point 'pen', who does not even think of italic. Him I should wish less to convert than to help, and in this way. I should urge him to continue with his accustomed script, but to write with an edged pen. At once his familiar hand gains a new dimension. His old monotonous hairline letters come into a new life. The edged pen imparts to his words a flowing quality, a running sequence of alternating thicks & thins, achieved without manual pressure. His formerly static lines become dynamic - not explosively but subtly & quietly, with a calm distinction as of dignified speech. The change, proceeding from the logic of the edged tool that created our Latin alphabet, may give the writer the clue to a more thorough-going reform through rediscovery of the italic hand. But even if he never takes this final step he will yet have redeemed his older script, replacing its anaemia with a timeless grace & vigor. Yours sincerely Paul Standard".
The American calligrapher and author Paul Standard (1896-1992) emigrated from Russia in 1903. He is the author of "Calligraphy's Flowering, Decay and Restoration", "Our Handwriting", and "Arrighi's Running Hand".
Charles Skaggs who taught night classes in calligraphy at Cooper Union writes of Paul Standard "Here we have Arrighi's most devoted and scholarly advocate. At Cooper Union and New York University, Standard taught the pure, straight stuff, both as to the mechanics of pen management and to the legitimate variations of the Italian renaissance hand. Basics came before personal frills.".. "His gutty, uninhibited italic could have forged a papal bull of a canto from Dante with convincing aplomb. Standard's personal correspondence (always in sepia ink) with fellow calligraphiles was as worldwide as the reading of his published writings." .. "He delights in a stubborn anachronism that charms all who are privileged to know him." Charles Skaggs taught at Cooper Union for 5 years and donated his collection to Smith College. Fine .
Blue Mountain Books & Manuscripts, Ltd.Professional seller Ultramarine BooksProfessional seller
William GlynnProfessional seller
Kubik Fine Books Ltd.Professional sellerFirst German edition. Originally published in English by Penguin Books in 1955 under the title "Five Hundred Years of Printing". The text is in German.
Calligrapher Paul Standard's copy. Laid in are two autograph letters in German from Leo Kasarnovski sending him the book. Very good .
Blue Mountain Books & Manuscripts, Ltd.Professional seller Aardvark Book DepotProfessional seller| Pages: 1 |