Why you should join the Letterforms Study Group at the Tipoteca 2025—Reason no. 1: Script
The Letterforms Study Group workshop at the Tipoteca 2025 will take place from June 8 to June 15, 2025. It will focus on a rare example of wood type derived from script.
Script is a complex word. Like its German counterpart schrift, it has many meanings. To paleographers and calligraphers it denotes the writing styles found in hand written documents (logically called manuscripts from the Latin words manu “by hand” and scriptus “written” [past participle of the verb scribere “to write”). Thus, uncial, Carolingian, textura, and italic are all forms of script.
Carolingian minuscule. Image courtesy of St. Gallen Stiftsbibliothek.
Chancery italic by Ludovico Vicentino degli Arrighi from Aristotle’s Ethics (1517). [Allard Pierson, University of Amsterdam Ms. Hs. XV D 6, 109v]
To type designers and typographers uncial, Carolingian, textura, and italic are not scripts but calligraphic styles because they are written with a broad-edged tool (quill, reed or metal pen). In the Vox classification system (1954) they are called manuaires (a name invented to emphasize their hand [manu] origins). Maximilien Vox, the creator of the system, differentiated such types from scriptes.
Roundhand, a writing style commonly called copperplate or wedding script, developed in England from the mid-17th century through the 18th century by writing masters from Edward Cocker (1631–1676) and John Ayers (fl. 168–1700) to Charles Snell (1667–1773), George Shelley (1666?–1736?), John Bland (1702–1750), Joseph Champion (1709–c.1768), and—most importantly—George Bickham (1684–1758). The latter was the compiler, contributor, and engraver of The Universal Penman (1733–1741), the famous compendium of examples of roundhand. The plates for Bickham’s book, and those of other writing masters, were engraved in copper, hence the term copperplate to describe this style of writing with a narrow edge or pointed quill. The term wedding script derives from the widespread practice of choosing roundhand (or typefaces based on it) as the style for invitations to formal events, especially weddings.
Detail of roundhand from The Universal Penman by George Bickham (1741). Image courtesy of Columbia University Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
In type classification schemes scripts encompasses typefaces based on roundhand and other pointed pen writing styles along with those inspired by writing made by brushes (see below) and modern tools such as felt markers and ruling pens.
Pasta. Brush lettering by John Burns (n.d.)
The Letterforms Study Group at the Tipoteca 2025 will be focused on pointed pen scripts, not on those made by a broad-edged tool, brush or marker. The workshop will begin in Milano with an introduction to pointed pen scripts by James Clough. He will give a lecture on the topic—with demonstrations—and then lead the group to the Biblioteca Braidense in Milano to see original and printed examples of pointed pen work. James is the perfect person for this because he has practical knowledge as well as historical knowledge. From the early 1970s to the 21st century, he was a commercial lettering artist in Milano who specialized in “copperplate” script. Since then he has become an historian of calligraphy and type with a deep knowledge of the evolution of pointed pen scripts.
James’ lecture and demonstration will provide the basis for understanding why pointed pen scripts were so popular as the model for typefaces and also why they were so difficult to recreate in metal and wood. Workshop participants will learn more than how to set and print wood type.
Letterforms Study Group at the Tipoteca 2025
The workshop will take place from June 8 to June 15, 2025. Participation in the workshop is limited to eight people. To secure a place a non-refundable deposit of $300 is required. Please make payment to paulshaw@nyc.rr.com via PayPal. If this is not possible, please contact Paul Shaw at paulshaw@nyc.rr.com for alternative methods of payment. A downloadable registration form is available below.
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