Save the Date: Thursday June 16 @ TDC in NYC

Nancy will explain why the organic nature of steel die and copper plate engraved imagery and text complements and enhances our visual experiences, and will demonstrate the importance of engraving as a modern graphic design technique. She will show examples from several avid collectors of elegant and unique engraved imagery, and share her expertise on engraving techniques and methodology. She will also describe the recent installation of a working engraving proofing press and the establishment of a new and growing engraving community in the great American city beneath the sea (New Orleans).

Nancy Sharon Collins is especially well-known for her exemplary bespoke hand-engraved social stationery. Besides being a stationer, she is a veteran graphic designer, typographer, independent print history scholar, partner in Collins, LLC, director of special projects for the AIGA New Orleans chapter, and instructor of design at Southeastern Louisiana University. Her book about American commercial engraving is due out in the autumn of 2012.

For details and to make a reservation.

“Allied Oil” courtesy of Strathmore archives, Mohawk Fine Paper, Cohoes, NY; Monogram © Richard Sheaff; “D” monogram engraved by Emily DeLorge.

Hand Engraved Social Stationery Article on Ephemera Site

Great article about what is engraving for the American social stationery trade on American Ephemera Society website:

http://www.ephemerasociety.org/articles/collins.html

Calligraphic Engraving

This past week I spent researching calligraphic engraving at the Harry Ransom Center (HRC) at University of Texas at Austin. HRC archives hold many copybook (or copy book) specimens, three “The Universal Penman” by George Bickham, great master of this highly specialized craft in 18th-century England, one beautiful copy is in the fabulous bound Beaufoy, H.B.H., collection of English, German and Dutch writing manuals.

I examined over 1,460 individual engraved plates either bound or tipped-in to these books or the Beaufoy collection.  There are exquisite examples of engraved calligraphy but of greater interest to me was being able to look at the structure of engraved letter forms.  I was able to bring with me, and use, the 3X photographic loop, with excellent optics, so was able to see some great detail.

I will be writing my observations here in my blog.  Meanwhile, anyone interested in the genre can go to this bibliography about origins of letter forms including writing and copy books:

http://ihl.enssib.fr/siteihl.php?page=45&aflng=fr.

Also, a reasonable copy, offset not engraved, of Bickham’s “Universal Penman” can be bought as a Dover edition for fairly cheap.

My favorite specimen was a complete book by Snell, about 4-5 characters per page, 13 plates in all illustrating the entire alphabet.  At the end of which (and I could not tell if it is part of the Snell book or a random, tipped-in item) was a grid comparing each character in the alphabet for Roman, Italick [sic], two kinds of script, “secretary”, “church”, engrossing and several other forms of types.

I will post pictures in the coming weeks, it takes four to six (weeks) for the HRC to process orders for scanning copies.

Love Letters: American Commercial Engraving, Monograms and Social Stationery

Please join me at University of Texas at Austin for the most recent rendition of this evolving presentation about American commercial engraving.

Tuesday September 22

6:00pm–7:30pm

Art Building, Room ART 1.120

This lecture will include images from recent research and sources of commercial engraving and specifications for engraving types never before shown in public or discussed.

http://aigaaustin.org/events/2009/09/detail/414/

So Noted: In Search of Monograms

Nancy Sharon Collins, A/K/A the engraving lady, is seeking submissions of engraved social stationery, read about it in the Mohawk paper website.

read more about it.

Heavy Metal Ephemera: The Resurrection of Two Social Engraving Presses

This is the story of a 5-year journey in search of an engraving proofing press. Once ubiquitous in small print shops throughout the country, these presses were used to impress small engraved monograms, logotypes and other elements into stationary, envelopes, calling cards, folders and the like.

http://www.ephemerasociety.org/articles/heavymetal.html

History of Romantic Letters at TypeCon 2009

The History of Romantic Letters at TypeCon 2009

THURSDAY, JULY 16
2:00 pm-5:30 pm

Presented by Nancy Sharon Collins (Collins LLC/Loyola University/AIGA New Orleans)

Location: Portfolio Center, Atlanta
Cost: $50 + $10 materials fee
Ever wonder about engraving? What is it? Where does it come from? Why does it look that way? What’s a monogram? How does engraving factor into the history and function of type?

The only way to truly appreciate engraving is to try it yourself—come experience the “cut” by which engraved letterforms are made—everyone in this workshop will be encouraged to try their hand with a “graver” (or “burin”), the real tools of this elegant, virtually forgotten trade.

Specimens of vintage monograms, lettering styles and engraving will be displayed. Using simple tools such as graphite pencil and various sorts of erasers, attendees will trace, combine, retrace existing forms and learn to make new symbols, letters and forms with these historic pieces of inspiration.

http://www.typecon.com/calendar.php?category=Workshops

History in Small Places, Feb 28-March 28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solo exhibition of archival pigment prints by Nancy Sharon Collins at the Hill Memorial Library, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

These images and artifacts were inspired by the Dameron-Pierson collection of commercially engraved copper plates and hand engraved monogram, crest and seal dies salvaged and preserved by Mrs. Collins after the horrific floods of 2005 in New Orleans.

The plates were donated to the Southeastern Louisiana Archival Collections and the dies to the Hill Memorial Library.

For more information

Meet the Original Mad Men of New Orleans

The original graphic arts rat pack that became AIGA New Orleans

Guess Who are the Real “Mad Men”

We all know what south Louisiana sounds and tastes like through jazz, Mardi Gras and great food! But what does it look like in terms of visual culture?

Join us to honor the fathers and daughters of pop culture in south Louisiana. If you’ve watched the popular TV show, “Mad Men” we’ve found the real thing:

The golden age of local commercial art in south Louisiana is being honored:

http://neworleans.aiga.org/events/2009/01/24656297

http://neworleans.aiga.org/home/history_project_1

AIGA New Orleans Birthday Bash & Member’s Party

Saturday, January 31, 2009 7pm – 11pm Musee Conti Wax Museum
917 Conti St.
(504) 525-2605
New Orleans, LA

http://typophile.com/node/53912