March 2021

16th century

Italy :

ROMANO (Giacomo), Il primo libro di scrivere di Iacomo Romano…, 1589.

CURIONE (Ludovico), Folder with loose pages, with no title page…, 1593.
Examples of the work of Curione, including a page of manuscript italian hand, although this may not be by the master himself.

17th century

Netherlands :

VAN SAMBIX (Felix), Untitled manuscript, c.1700.
Examples written by Van Sambix in Delft, for his disciple Pieter Coenrad, several dates are mentionned, between 1607 and 1614.

VAN DEN VELDE (Jan), Schoonschrift van Jan van den Velde, c.1700.
This is a collection of 20 manuscript pages attributed to Velde. However, the quality of the calligraphy does not reflect the best of Velde’s work. The design of the pages also doesn’t look like Velde… However it could be part of his earlier work. I haven’t spotted any signature.

BOERS (Bastiaan), Untitled writing manual, c. end of 17th century.
This book displays examples in a style similar to that of Perling and Komans.

France :

BEAUCHESNE, (Jean de), Specimens of calligraphy, c.1610.
According to the note attached to this bound manuscript : This a copy-book that was written for Elizabeth of Bohemia, daughter of James I. Beauchesne, her writing master, proudly notes in his colophon that he was in his 73rd year when he wrote the book.

Italy :

ANON, Manuscript, 1600 ?
Bound manuscript pages in the Italian styles of writing.

Specimens of Italian writing and penmanship, 1500-1700.
Manuscript.  This is not meant as teaching material, but shows actual specimens of writing that didn’t go through the engraving process.

BRONDOLI (Giovanni Francesco), Essemplare di lettere cancellaresche corsiue moderne, c.1600.
Manuscript.

GIORDI, Manuscript copybook, 1607.

CURIONE (Lodovico), Il Teatro delle Cancellaresche corsive…, 1609.
Curione’s third book, essentially containing italian hands. (See 16th century for the first one)

SEMPRONIO LANCIONE, Forma del bene… scrivere, c.1610.

PISANI (Dario), Specimens of calligraphy, 1619. Second Part.
Manuscript specimens. These may have been used for the book that was published in 1620 ?

ZABARELLI (Ascanio), Il primo libro di Ascanio Zabarelli ornato di lettere corsive…, 1650 ?
This is listed as a manuscript.  Contains examples of the Italian hand.

SPADA (Valerio), Libro di diversi caratteri…, 1649-1679.
Scrapbook made up of 35 specimens of calligraphy mounted on 34 leaves, signed for the most part by Spada, and dated from 1649 to 1679.

SPADA (Valerio), Specimens of calligraphy, including initials, ornamented and in gold, various alphabets, borders, etc, 1653-1663.
Manuscript. Scrapbook of 61 mounted specimens, many signed Valerio Spada, and dated from 1653 to 1663 ; one signed Girolamo Spigliati.

18th century

England :
BICKHAM (George), The Universal Penman, 1733-1741.
New link to a complete copy !

Italy :

BERTOLOTTI (Francesco), L’arte dello scrivere, 1790.

Germany :

BAURENFEIND (Michael), Vollkommene Wiederherstellung der bisher in Verfall gekommenen gründlich und zierlichen Schreib-Kunst, 1716.

TOCHTERMANN (Hieronymus), Vorschrift…, 1731-1733.
This seems to be a manuscript, showing examples of German writing in color.

WESSEL (Johan Wilhelm), Sammlung kleiner Vorschriften zum Gebrauch für Lernende, 1790’s.
Examples of calligraphy in the English style followed by examples in Kurrent schrift. Some of the models mix the two styles in a way I haven’t seen elsewhere. The inspiration is certainly drawn from English copybooks.

19th century

France :

BERTRAND, Collection de modèles (manuscript), 1813.
A manuscript sample book of a student called Bertrand”, of the Academy in Paris.

Italy :

BERTOLOTTI (Francesco), Caratteri incisi da Fco. Bertolotti…, 1805.

GIARRE (Gaetano), Scuola Toscana di caratteri moderni, 1823.

FIANI (V.), untitled calligraphy manual, 1839.
Containing examples of the Italian version of the 19th century English Round Hand, including muscular exercices and drills.

SANTERINI (Biagio), Moderna Coltura Calligraphica, 1839.
Containing examples of the Italian version of the 19th century English Round Hand.

Netherlands :

DE LANGE (J.), Handleiding tot de Schijfkunst…, 1830’s.
A writing manual almost entirely typographed : only the last three photos are of written examples in the English round hand.  The rest of the book gives detailed explanations on how to write, in Dutch.

USA :

TOWNDROW (Thomas), Towndrow’s Complete system of penmanship, 1839.
A manual containing pages of repetitive exercices of lowercase letters. The end of the book shows examples of hand lettered (drawn) alphabets as well as round hand capitals.

BECKER (George J.), Becker’s ornamental penmanship, 1854.
Full copy from the Letterform Archive in San Francisco. Stream only.