Scarce Copy of Williams & Packard's Original Gems of Penmanship, 1867, with Inked Calligraphy Dedication and Fantastic Alphabets life magazine drawing holding its original glass

holding its original glass

closed 8 1/4" x 1 1/2" x 3/4"

with the main frame a sort of mellowed oxblood and the decorative frame a very mellow gold

Photos give a very good sense of content

but failed at several others attempted--definitely one could invest many hours of focused effort in mastering all of these

Scarce Copy of Williams & Packard's Original Gems of Penmanship, 1867, with Inked Calligraphy Dedication and Fantastic Alphabets life magazine drawing holding its original glassThis is a scarce one, and a significant one, having given rise to a whole lot of the fancy Spencerian calligraphy drawings one finds out there, and a whole lot of elaborate lettering too, with dozens of alphabets included in it. It is an 1867 copy of Williams & Packard's Original Gems of Penmanship, printed by Major & Knapp, 440 Broadway, NYC this copy presented to a Sarah Thresher as an award for "the best Specimen & Business Penmanship, May 31,