In regards to writing implements

[Nostalchiq]

Good afternoon! I hope that those of you that will take the time to read this will forgive me if I am just repeating an existing thread, but I am new here and this is my very first thread.

Anyway, I volunteer as a living historian in Nevada City, MT as a female Civil War era civilian. I am interested in taking up letter writing, as cooking has become dull over the last year or so. I was wondering if anyone has any information on whether I could find a period correct dip pen? I did a little bit of reading earlier and learned that pencils and quill pens were well used. However, I am more interested in finding a proper dip pen in order for me to write letters to the other citizens of the town. I have read that copperplate was primarily the style of writing in use during this time, among several others. I would like to learn this style of writing by studying letters. I also watched a video that demonstrated copperplate, and the writer used a pen called a "Copperplate Pen". I haven't been able to find such a pen online. However, I have found pen nibs that were called "Copperplate". Are they the same thing?

I would genuinely appreciate any help you can give me!

[brown]

Re: In regards to writing implements

Have you seen this thread yet?

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?14794-How-to-write-with-nib-pens-amp-bottled-ink&highlight=Copperplate

[Ambrose Bierce]

Re: In regards to writing implements

Regarding suppliers of reproduciton writing implements, etc., you can contact John Zaharias at The Button Baron (an AC-approved vendor, no less) for various items and he may be able to provide the items you seek.

Have fun with the new aspect of your impression.

[4vaadjutant]

Re: In regards to writing implements

A study of collections of war-period letters will reveal no consistent writing style, just like today (when people are not texting!). It is proper to learn a style taught at the time and then adapt it to your own comfort, which is what was done by people then. I started using Spencerian and then made some modifications to some of the letters after studying a lot of period correspondence. It can be said that I now write in a modified Spencerian style. Please let me know if you need a source of researched-correct stationery as well as Western Union and U. S. Military Telegraph stationery, with correct covers (envelopes). Have fun!

Your obedient servant,
Tom Williams
4th Virginia Infantry
Indianapolis

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: In regards to writing implements

This is old but still has useful information: http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...t=school+clerk

John Neal Books still sells nibs, including the Gillott 404 mentioned in some period contracts, as well as oak gall ink: http://www.johnnealbooks.com/

Get several nibs because one might be defective and, in any case, the ink will corrode them over time if you don't wear them out first. Here's a link to some instructions on keeping the ink flowing: http://cdn.johnnealbooks.com/downloa...afferysink.pdf

The Sutler of Fort Scott has good holders and an excellent repro of the popular Silliman portable ink wells: https://sutleroffortscott.com/

Having gone through a number of period documents I've come to the conclusion that if you have a decent nib and ink and ever learned cursive at all, you can manage a style that would have passed as a clear business hand at the time. A slight modification of letter proportions and capitals should do the trick. Fancy calligraphy had its place, but most people, most of the time, were just trying to communicate. Look around the web for collections of period documents and see what kinds of variations there were. Here's one to start with: https://lib.wvu.edu/collections/exhibits/Roy_Cook_JPG/

Some figures of the time had notoriously bad handwriting. When Quartermaster General Montgomery Meigs visited Savannah to help resupply Sherman's army after the march through Georgia, he dashed off an order back to headquarters and ran it through Sherman. Sherman looked at it and, as requested, endorsed it. His endorsement stated, "The enclosed is written by QM General Meigs, and therefore I approve it. I cannot, however, read it."