Artist Library Starter Sets
Buy Artist Library Starter Sets for Sign Painter's, Pinstriper's and Gilders of gold leaf On Sale here Starter Set includes: 1 Each of Free Hand Lettering by Dick Byrd, Mastering Layout by Mike Stevens, Guide to How to Pinstripe-Alan Johnson book, Gold Leaf Techniques by Gold Leaf Techniques by Kent Smith, 4th Edition and Pinstriping by Ed Roth, aka Rat Fink. The Artist Library Starter Sets is a combination of books about Sign Painting, Pinstriping and Gilding of gold leaf that will Start off or ad on to your collection of knowledge. Artist Library Starter Sets is only available thru Letterhead Sign Supply, so get the Artist Library Starter Sets before we run out of stock. Click here for Pricing and more information on Artist Library Starter Sets.
Model: BK-COMPLETE-GUIDE-HERALDRY-1909
The big heraldry reference, as an instant download.
A Complete Guide to Heraldry (1909) by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies is the big heraldry reference — 712 pages, the definitive Edwardian work on arms, crests, and heraldic art. The heavyweight of the design-reference shelf.
Inside this 1909 reference:
716 pages of coats of arms and crests, drawn to working scale: this 1909 volume is the craftsman’s h..
$24.95
Model: BK-KEY-PRACTICAL-SIGN-WRITING-1903
The short sign-writing key, as an instant download.
A Key to Practical Sign Writing (1903) by Asa Dana Lester is the short key to the trade — practical sign-writing method in compact form for the quick study. Small book, working content.
Inside this 1903 manual:
The sign painter’s trade, taught in 1903: sign painting layouts and lettering the way shop painters actually did it. Sign painters and pi..
$24.95
Model: BK-MONOGRAM-ALPHABET-ALBUM-1878
Monograms and alphabets for designers, as an instant download.
A Monogram and Alphabet Album (1878) is 170 pages of monograms and alphabets — pure design reference for the lettering artist, engraver, and sign painter. Monogram work has never gone out of style; this is the period source.
Inside this 1878 catalog:
A pattern-book of monograms and ciphers: this 1878 album gathers 170 pages of working ..
$24.95
Model: BK-PRACTICAL-MANUAL-HOUSE-PAINTING-1888
Graining, marbling, and sign-writing, as an instant download.
A Practical Manual of House-Painting, Graining, Marbling and Sign-Writing (1888) by Ellis A. Davidson crosses into decorative painting — graining and marbling alongside house-painting and sign-writing. The decorative painter’s crossover title. At 474 pages it is one of the largest manuals in the set, covering plain painting alongside th..
$24.95
Model: BK-ROMAN-ALPHABET-HOW-USE-1917
The working Roman alphabet, as an instant download.
A Roman Alphabet and How to Use It (1917) by Frank Forrest Frederick gives the conventional Roman alphabet with practical usage instruction — how to actually deploy classical capitals in real work. The perfect companion to Seaby’s historical volume.
Inside this 1917 treasury:
Letterforms with history: this 1917 volume gathers medieval and illumin..
$24.95
Model: BK-TEXTBOOK-LETTERING-SIGN-PAINTING-1902
The full correspondence course in book form, as an instant download.
A Textbook on Lettering and Sign Painting (1902) from the International Correspondence Schools is the complete correspondence course in book form — 384 pages of lettering and sign-painting instruction, built for students learning the trade by mail. Thick, methodical, and high perceived value.
Inside this 1902 manual:
The sign pai..
$24.95
Model: BK-TEXTBOOK-SHOW-CARD-WRITING-1903
The thickest show-card course book, as an instant download.
A Textbook on Show-Card Writing (1903) from the International Correspondence Schools is the full course book — 364 pages, the thickest show-card title on the list. The complete ICS method for card writers, lesson by lesson.
Inside this 1903 instructor:
The 1903 show card man earned his living with speed and consistency, and this book trai..
$24.95
Model: BK-ALPHABETS-OLD-NEW-1906
The designer’s classic alphabet book, as an instant download.
Alphabets Old and New (1906) by Lewis F. Day is the classic designer’s alphabet book — historical and modern letterforms with rich ornament plates that sign painters and decorative artists have mined for over a century. A reference-shelf essential for anyone who draws letters.
Inside this 1906 manual:
Lewis F. Day (1906) assembled Roman..
$24.95
Model: BK-ALPHABETS-MANUAL-LETTER-DESIGN-1926
Letter design with construction notes, as an instant download.
Alphabets: A Manual of Letter Design (1926) by Douglas C. McMurtrie presents complete alphabets with construction notes — the book that bridges the sign painter’s craft and the type designer’s discipline. Letterforms drawn to be built, not just admired.
Inside this 1926 pattern-book:
A pattern-book of letterforms: ornamental alphabets ..
$24.95
Model: BK-AMES-HAND-BOOK-ARTISTIC-1882
The flagship ornamental penmanship book, as an instant download.
Ames’ Hand Book of Artistic Penmanship (1882) by Daniel T. Ames is the best-known ornamental penmanship book of its era — the flagship calligraphy title, full of flourished capitals, shaded script, and the high art of the steel pen. The crown jewel of the penmanship shelf.
Inside this 1882 handbook:
Daniel T. Ames’s 1882 system build..
$24.95
Model: BK-BAKER-S-SHOW-CARD-1916
The practical trade-press card book, as an instant download.
Baker’s Show Card Book (1916) by William Joseph Baker is the practical show-card book from the trade-press era — working methods, alphabets, and card examples from a jobbing card writer. Straight trade content.
Inside this 1916 instructor:
The 1916 show card man earned his living with speed and consistency, and this book trains both: bru..
$24.95
Model: BK-BECKER-S-ORNAMENTAL-PENMANSHIP-1854
The earliest calligraphy title, as an instant download.
Becker’s Ornamental Penmanship (1854) by George J. Becker is the earliest calligraphy title on the list — analytical, facsimile-style penmanship instruction from 1854, when ornamental penmanship was America’s fine art. Antiquarian appeal with real teaching inside.
Inside this 1854 manual:
American penmanship at its peak: Spencerian script and..
$24.95
Model: BK-CHIPPED-GROUND-ENAMELED-EMBOSSED-1895
The Chicago glass-ornament catalog, as an instant download.
Chipped, Ground, Enameled and Embossed Glass (1895) from Rawson & Evans of Chicago is the American glass-ornament trade catalog — chipped, ground, enameled, and embossed work from the Chicago trade. The natural pair to the Pilkington catalog.
Inside this 1895 pattern-book:
Rawson & Evans (Chicago (1895) lays out glue-chipped glass..
$24.95
Model: BK-COLOR-MIXING-GUIDE-ARTISTS-1923
The color-mixing guide that names show-card writers, as an instant download.
The Color Mixing Guide for Artists, Painters, Decorators, Printing Pressmen and Show Card Writers (1923) by John L. King names her customers right on the title page — practical color-mixing reference for every trade that touches pigment. The working color reference.
Inside this 1923 handbook:
Before premixed everything, p..
$24.95
Model: BK-DAVIDS-PRACTICAL-LETTERER-1903
Commercial lettering instruction, as an instant download.
Davids’ Practical Letterer (1903), compiled by Sidney Hackes, is straight commercial lettering instruction — the working letterer’s handbook of alphabets and methods for the trade. Practical from first page to last.
Inside this 1903 pattern-book:
A pattern-book of letterforms: ornamental alphabets and initials collected for working craftsme..
$24.95
Model: BK-DESIGNS-EMBOSSED-GLASS-1904
The glass manufacturer’s design catalog, as an instant download.
Designs for Embossed Glass (1904) from Pilkington Bros. Ltd. is the glass manufacturer’s own design catalog — embossed glass patterns from one of the great names in glass. Trade ephemera with real design value.
Inside this 1904 guide:
Chipped, embossed, enameled, lettered in gold: this 1904 book covers gold glass letters as working t..
$24.95
Model: BK-DRAWLET-PENS-1925
Esterbrook’s own pen booklet, as an instant download.
Drawlet Pens (1925) is the Esterbrook Pen Manufacturing Co.’s own booklet for its Speedball-competing lettering pens — part catalog, part instruction, all period trade ephemera. A short, charming piece of pen history for lettering collectors.
Inside this 1925 manual:
Written when the Speedball pen was the working tool of every lettering shop, t..
$24.95
Model: BK-DRUGGISTS-DISPENSERS-PRACTICAL-SHOW-1909
Cards for drugstores, as an instant download.
The Druggists and Dispensers Practical Show Card Instructor (1909) by William A. Thompson teaches show-card writing for the drugstore trade — the cards, phrases, and displays of the pharmacy counter. Pairs naturally with the hardware book for the niche-trade collector.
Inside this 1909 instructor:
The 1909 show card man earned his living with speed and..
$24.95
Model: BK-ELEMENTS-LETTERING-1922
Goudy on lettering, as an instant download.
Elements of Lettering (1922) by Frederic W. Goudy brings the famous type designer’s eye to hand lettering — the principles behind beautiful letters from the man who drew Goudy Old Style. A prestige name for the line and a genuinely illuminating read.
Inside this 1922 pattern-book:
A pattern-book of letterforms: ornamental alphabets and initials collected..
$24.95
Model: BK-ELEMENTS-LETTERING-SIGN-PAINTING-1899
The 1899 companion to the ICS course, as an instant download.
Elements of Lettering and Sign Painting (1899), the International Correspondence Schools’ companion volume to their 1902 textbook, teaches the same trade curriculum from the earlier edition’s plates and lessons. Lettering fundamentals and sign-painting practice in the ICS method.
Inside this 1899 textbook:
International Correspondence S..
$24.95
Model: BK-FAIRCHILD-S-RAPID-LETTERER-1910
The rapid-lettering method, as an instant download.
Fairchild’s Rapid Letterer and Show-Card Maker (1910), compiled by Sidney Hackes, teaches commercial alphabet construction with the brush — the rapid-lettering method for card men who needed speed without losing style. Built for production work.
Inside this 1910 instructor:
The 1910 show card man earned his living with speed and consistency, and ..
$24.95
Model: BK-FAUST-S-75-NEW-1912
75 alphabets made for sign painters, as an instant download.
Faust’s 75 New Alphabets (1912) by Charles Ayers Faust delivers exactly what the title promises — 75 alphabets “for brush, air brush, air pencil,” drawn specifically for the working sign painter. A working reference, not a parlor book.
Inside this 1912 pattern-book:
A pattern-book of letterforms: ornamental alphabets and initials collect..
$24.95
Model: BK-FLEMING-S-SELF-INSTRUCTOR-1906
Business and ornamental penmanship together, as an instant download.
Fleming’s Self-Instructor in Business & Ornamental Penmanship (1906) by C. A. Fleming teaches both hands — the practical business hand and the ornamental hand — by self-instruction. The dual-purpose penmanship book for the clerk and the artist alike.
Inside this 1906 handbook:
C. A. Fleming’s 1906 system builds the hand from ..
$24.95
Model: BK-FREE-HAND-LETTERING-1904
Plain practical lettering for sign use, as an instant download.
Free-Hand Lettering (1904) by Victor Tyson Wilson is the accessible beginner’s book — plain, practical free-hand lettering for everyday sign use, without ornament or theory getting in the way. The honest working introduction.
Inside this 1904 pattern-book:
A pattern-book of letterforms: ornamental alphabets and initials collected for ..
$24.95
Model: BK-GOLD-GLASS-LETTERS-1910
The gold glass letter trade catalog, as an instant download.
Gold Glass Letters (1910) from the Chicago Glass Novelty Co. is the trade catalog of gold glass letters, door plates, and numbers — short, visual, and pure period ephemera from the glass-letter trade. A window into how the work was sold.
Inside this 1910 manual:
Glass was the sign painter’s finest canvas, and this 1910 volume teaches its..
$24.95
Model: BK-HAND-LETTERING-1912
The small hand-lettering booklet, as an instant download.
Hand Lettering (1912) by McClellan Chappell is the small, direct booklet on hand lettering — 26 pages of alphabet practice for the beginner or the busy tradesman. Small book, honest instruction.
Inside this 1912 treasury:
Letterforms with history: this 1912 volume gathers medieval and illuminated letterforms, drawn at a scale you can work f..
$24.95
Model: BK-HANEY-S-MANUAL-SIGN-1870
The earlier Haney edition, as an instant download.
Haney’s Manual of Sign, Carriage, and Decorative Painting (1870) is the earlier Haney edition — the same master teaching the sign, carriage, and decorative trades a generation before the 1897 volume. Compare the editions or study the earlier practice.
Inside this 1870 manual:
S. Gibson (1870) assembled Roman capitals and their derivatives as a des..
$24.95
Model: BK-HARDWARE-SHOW-CARD-WRITING-1913
Cards for hardware stores, as an instant download.
Hardware Show Card Writing (1913) by Albert Edwin Hurst and Clarence Joseph Nowak is the niche specialist — show cards written for hardware stores, with the trade language and layouts that sell tools and goods. A fun, specific audience done properly.
Inside this 1913 instructor:
The 1913 show card man earned his living with speed and consistency, ..
$24.95
Model: BK-HERALDRY-CRAFTSMEN-DESIGNERS-1913
Heraldry for the working designer, as an instant download.
Heraldry for Craftsmen & Designers (1913) by W. H. St. John Hope is heraldry written for makers — shields, crests, and devices for the craftsman who has to draw and paint them. The crest-and-monogram design reference.
Inside this 1913 reference:
520 pages of coats of arms and crests, drawn to working scale: this 1913 volume is the craf..
$24.95
Model: BK-HERHOLD-S-COMPENDIUM-MODERN-1894
The German-American penman’s compendium, as an instant download.
Herhold’s Compendium of Modern Penmanship (1894) by Gustav F. Herhold gathers the German-American penman’s modern method — precise, disciplined penmanship with Old World thoroughness. A distinctive voice in the American penmanship chorus.
Inside this 1894 handbook:
Gustav F. Herhold’s 1894 system builds the hand from the ground up: m..
$24.95
Model: BK-HOW-MAKE-EFFECTIVE-SHOW-1898
Off-hand card writing from 1898, as an instant download.
How to Make Effective Show-Cards (1898) by August H. Reupke covers off-hand card writing and show-card design from the early days — effectiveness as a discipline, taught when the show-card trade was young. An early voice with lasting sense.
Inside this 1898 manual:
August H. Reupke (1898) assembled Roman capitals and their derivatives as a d..
$24.95
Model: BK-INSTRUCTIONS-MODERN-SHOW-WRITING-1913
Concise modern show writing, as an instant download.
Instructions on Modern Show Writing (1913) by J. G. Bissell is the concise take on modern card writing — the method stripped to its working essentials for the card man who wants instruction without padding.
Inside this 1913 treasury:
Letterforms with history: this 1913 volume gathers medieval and illuminated letterforms, drawn at a scale you can..
$24.95
Model: BK-LETTERING-1916
A clean general lettering course, as an instant download.
Lettering (1916) by Thomas Wood Stevens is the general lettering course with clean instructional plates — alphabet construction and lettering practice presented plainly for students and working craftsmen. A solid all-rounder.
Inside this 1916 treasury:
Letterforms with history: this 1916 volume gathers medieval and illuminated letterforms, ..
$24.95
Model: BK-LETTERING-COMMERCIAL-PURPOSES-1918
Commercial lettering from a Speedball founder, as an instant download.
Lettering for Commercial Purposes (1918) by William Hugh Gordon is the Speedball co-developer’s full course in lettering for the trade — 182 pages of alphabets, layouts, and commercial plates aimed squarely at working sign and card men. Same buyers as the Speedball titles, deeper content.
Inside this 1918 textbook:
William Hugh..
$24.95
Model: BK-LETTERING-STUDENTS-CRAFTSMEN-1930
The biggest lettering book on the list, as an instant download.
Lettering for Students & Craftsmen (1930) by Graily Hewitt is the biggest lettering book on the list at 346 pages — a master calligrapher’s complete teaching, from Roman foundations to illumination, and every page earns its place.
Inside this 1930 pattern-book:
A pattern-book of letterforms: ornamental alphabets and initials colle..
$24.95
Model: BK-LETTERING-ORNAMENT-1902
Day on lettering as decoration, as an instant download.
Lettering in Ornament (1902) by Lewis F. Day treats letters as decorative material — how lettering behaves in ornament, borders, panels, and architectural settings. The strong design-craft crossover title for sign artists who decorate as well as letter.
Inside this 1902 manual:
Lewis F. Day (1902) assembled Roman capitals and their derivative..
$24.95
Model: BK-LETTERS-LETTERING-TREATISE-200-1902
The architect’s 200-plate lettering treatise, as an instant download.
Letters & Lettering: A Treatise with 200 Examples (1902) by architect Frank Chouteau Brown is the construction-minded lettering treatise — 200 plates of letterforms analyzed for proportion and structure. The book for letterers who want to know why letters look right.
Inside this 1902 manual:
Frank Chouteau Brown (1902) assem..
$24.95
Model: BK-MEDIAEVAL-ALPHABETS-INITIALS-ILLUMINATORS-1886
Illuminated initials and medieval alphabets, as an instant download.
Mediaeval Alphabets and Initials for Illuminators (1886) by F. Delamotte gathers medieval alphabets and illuminated initials for the decorative letterer — gothic letterforms and historiated capitals for sign ornament, certificates, and illuminated work. The decorative-lettering angle on the Middle Ages.
Inside this 1886 treasury:..
$24.95
Model: BK-MODERN-BUSINESS-PENMANSHIP-1903
The business penmanship method, as an instant download.
Modern Business Penmanship (1903) by E. C. Mills is the business-hand method — rapid, legible, practical penmanship for the counting-house and office. The natural pair to Fleming’s dual volume.
Inside this 1903 handbook:
E. C. Mills’s 1903 system builds the hand from the ground up: muscular-movement drills, then business penmanship. Calligrap..
$24.95
Model: BK-MODERN-PAINTING-HARDWOOD-FINISHING-1914
The 830-page trade encyclopedia, as an instant download.
Modern Painting, Hardwood Finishing and Sign Writing (1914) by George D. Armstrong is the trade encyclopedia — 830 pages covering painting, hardwood finishing, and sign writing in one massive working reference. The biggest book on the list and the heaviest value per dollar.
Inside this 1914 manual:
The painter’s trade in 1914: house painting..
$24.95
Model: BK-MODERN-SHOW-CARD-LETTERING-1906
Lettering plus advertising, as an instant download.
Modern Show Card Lettering, Designs and Advertising Phases (1906) by W. A. Thompson adds the marketing angle — card lettering and designs plus the advertising thinking that made cards sell. For the card writer who also had to be the ad man.
Inside this 1906 manual:
Show card writing was a trade of its own, and this 1906 manual teaches it like one..
$24.95
Model: BK-MODERN-SHOW-CARD-WRITING-1922
The British show-card manual, as an instant download.
Modern Show Card Writing (1922) by Joseph Bertram Jowitt brings the British school of show-card writing — a different national style from the American card manuals, with its own alphabets, methods, and commercial sensibility. A fresh angle for the card-writing shelf.
Inside this 1922 manual:
Show card writing was a trade of its own, and this 19..
$24.95
Model: BK-MONOGRAM-MILLWORK-CATALOG-NO-1919
The monogram millwork catalog, as an instant download.
Monogram Millwork: Catalog No. 500 (1919) from the Wilbur Lumber Co. is the millwork catalog heavy on monograms and ornament — trade ephemera rather than textbook, and all the more charming for it. Borders, monograms, and millwork ornament from 1919.
Inside this 1919 album:
378 pages of architectural millwork ornament, collected in 1919 for th..
$24.95
Model: BK-ONE-HUNDRED-ALPHABETS-SHOW-1919
A hundred alphabets for card writers, as an instant download.
One Hundred Alphabets for the Show Card Writer (1919) is the alphabet collection made specifically for card writers — a hundred hands to reach for when the card needs the right voice. The natural companion to “A Show At” Sho’ Cards.
Inside this 1919 treasury:
Letterforms with history: this 1919 volume gathers medieval and illuminated le..
$24.95
Model: BK-ONE-HUNDRED-LOOSE-LEAF-1920
A hundred lessons from the Speedball co-developer, as an instant download.
One Hundred Loose Leaf Lessons in Lettering with Pen and Brush (1920) by William Hugh Gordon — co-developer of the Speed-Ball pen — teaches trade lettering with both pen AND brush across a hundred progressive lessons. The bridge between pen lettering and sign-painter’s brush work, from a master of both.
Inside this 1920 tex..
$24.95
Model: BK-PAINT-COLOUR-MIXING-PRACTICAL-1906
The practical color-mixing handbook, as an instant download.
Paint & Colour Mixing: A Practical Handbook (1906) by Arthur Seymour Jennings is the painter’s and decorator’s color-mixing handbook — practical recipes and methods for getting the color right. The companion to King’s guide, from the British trade.
Inside this 1906 guide:
Every tint has a recipe in this 1906 handbook: tinting and sha..
$24.95
Model: BK-PEN-LETTERING-SIMPLIFIED-DRAWLET-1929
The rival pen’s lettering manual, as an instant download.
Pen Lettering Simplified with Drawlet Pens (1929) by Andrew Szoeke is Esterbrook’s answer to the Speedball books — a complete lettering method built around the Drawlet pen, the Speedball’s great rival. Same audience, different pen: alphabets and technique for everyone who lettered with Esterbrook steel pens.
Inside this 1929 manual:
Written..
$24.95
Model: BK-PRACTICAL-COMPENDIUM-COMMERCIAL-PEN-1918
The pen company’s commercial compendium, as an instant download.
The Practical Compendium of Commercial Pen Lettering & Designs (1918) from the Newton Automatic Lettering Pen Co. is the manufacturer’s own treasury of commercial lettering and designs — pen-company showmanship meeting working trade content. A period piece with real usable plates.
Inside this 1918 course:
Every alphabet in this 1..
$24.95
Model: BK-PRACTICAL-HOUSE-PAINTER-1902
Carriage, sign, and house painting, as an instant download.
The Practical House Painter (1902) by Charles S. Morton covers carriage, sign, and house painting together — the all-round painter’s manual for every surface the trade touched. One book, the whole trade.
Inside this 1902 handbook:
Charles S. Morton’s 1902 handbook is 168 pages of working knowledge — wood graining and marbling — written wh..
$24.95
Model: BK-PRACTICAL-HOUSE-WAGON-AUTOMOBILE-1919
Early automobile painting, as an instant download.
The Practical House, Wagon and Automobile Painter (1919) by W. F. White catches the trade at the motor age — early automobile painting alongside house and wagon work. A fun historical angle with real finishing instruction.
Inside this 1919 handbook:
W. F. White’s 1919 handbook is 178 pages of working knowledge — wood graining and marbling — writte..
$24.95
Model: BK-PRACTICAL-PHRASES-SHOW-CARD-1922
Ready-made phrases and layouts, as an instant download.
Practical Phrases of Show Card Writing (1922) from the St. Louis Show Card School is the working card writer’s shortcut — ready-made phrases and layouts to lift straight onto cards. Very usable content for anyone who writes cards for a living.
Inside this 1922 manual:
Show card writing was a trade of its own, and this 1922 manual teaches it l..
$24.95
Model: BK-PRINCIPLES-PRACTICE-SHOW-CARD-1922
The vocational-training method, as an instant download.
Principles and Practice of Show-Card Writing (1922) by Lawrence E. Blair was prepared for vocational training — methodical, progressive instruction in card writing built for classroom and shop use. The teacher’s approach to the trade.
Inside this 1922 instructor:
The 1922 show card man earned his living with speed and consistency, and this bo..
$24.95
Model: BK-REAL-PEN-WORK-SELF-1881
The self-instructor in real pen work, as an instant download.
Real Pen Work: Self-Instructor in Penmanship (1881) by Knowles & Maxim teaches flourished penmanship by the self-instruction method — ornamental pen-work plates for the student learning without a master. The cover shows the book’s ornamental title page, the “REAL PEN WORK” masthead.
Inside this 1881 manual:
American penmanship at it..
$24.95
Model: BK-SHOW-CARD-WRITING-DISABLED-1919
The government vocational manual, as an instant download.
Show Card Writing: For Disabled Soldiers, Sailors and Marines (1919) from the U.S. Federal Board for Vocational Education is the government-issued vocational manual — card writing taught as a trade to returning servicemen. Short, direct, and with unique historical provenance.
Inside this 1919 manual:
Show card writing was a trade of its own..
$24.95
Model: BK-SIGN-SHOW-CARD-WRITING-1899
Where sign writing meets show cards, as an instant download.
Sign and Show Card Writing (1899) by Charles F. Butterworth bridges the two trades — sign writing and show-card writing taught together, as they were practiced together in 1899. The crossover title for both shelves.
Inside this 1899 textbook:
From Charles F. Butterworth (1899): ~64 (catalog: "64 p.") pages of price-ticket and s..
$24.95
Model: BK-SIGN-WRITING-GLASS-EMBOSSING-1890
The complete illustrated guide, as an instant download.
Sign Writing and Glass Embossing (1890) by James Callingham is the complete practical illustrated guide — sign writing plus glass embossing, the exact combination her gold-leaf customers live in. Glass and gold-leaf work taught properly, in the Victorian manner.
Inside this 1890 guide:
Chipped, embossed, enameled, lettered in gold: this 1890 ..
$24.95
Model: BK-SIGN-CARRIAGE-DECORATIVE-PAINTING-1897
Full sign, carriage, and decorative instruction, as an instant download.
Sign, Carriage and Decorative Painting (1897) by Jesse Haney teaches the full breadth of the painter’s trade — signs, carriages, and decorative work in one practical volume. Trade breadth from a working master.
Inside this 1897 manual:
The painter’s trade in 1897: house painting taught as a complete system across 102 pages. P..
$24.95
Model: BK-SPEEDBALL-10TH-EDITION-TEXTBOOK-1927
The short later-edition Speedball manual, as an instant download.
The 1927 10th-edition Speedball textbook is the compact later manual from the Speedball line — the essentials of pen lettering with Speed-Ball pens in 36 pages: alphabets, strokes, and technique distilled for quick study. A fast, affordable entry point to the Speedball method.
Inside this 1927 manual:
Written when the Speedball pen ..
$24.95
Model: BK-SPEEDBALL-TEXT-BOOK-MODERN-1923
The earlier Speedball textbook edition, as an instant download.
The 7th edition (1923) of the Speedball Text Book: Modern Pen Lettering by George & Gordon captures the course a step earlier than the 8th — the same co-developer instruction in pen lettering, with the plate selection and lesson order of the earlier printing. Collectors and lettering students can compare editions or simply enjoy t..
$24.95
Model: BK-SPEEDBALL-TEXT-BOOK-MODERN-1925
The complete Speedball textbook, as an instant download.
The Speedball Text Book: Modern Pen Lettering, 8th edition (1925), by Ross F. George and William Hugh Gordon — the co-developers of the Speed-Ball pen — is the full course in pen lettering that grew out of their 1915 booklet: alphabet construction, pen handling, spacing, and commercial lettering technique. The natural companion to “Presentin..
$24.95
Model: BK-SPENCERIAN-KEY-PRACTICAL-PENMANSHIP-1866
The classic American handwriting system, as an instant download.
The Spencerian Key to Practical Penmanship (1866) by H. C. and P. R. Spencer is the key to the classic American handwriting system — the Spencerian method that defined 19th-century American penmanship. The foundation text of the most famous hand in American history.
Inside this 1866 instructor:
Before lettering went digital it went t..
$24.95
Model: BK-STANDARD-LETTERING-1922
The short standard-lettering manual, as an instant download.
Standard Lettering (1922) by Roy C. Claflin is the short, no-nonsense manual of standard lettering practice — the essential alphabets and proportions every sign man was expected to know, in compact form. Quick to study, quick to use.
Inside this 1922 manual:
Roy C. Claflin (1922) assembled Roman capitals and their derivatives as a design..
$24.95
Model: BK-STUDENT-S-ALPHABETS-1907
The drafting company’s alphabet booklet, as an instant download.
Student’s Alphabets (c1907) from the Keuffel & Esser Co. is the drafting-supply company’s own alphabet booklet — the K&E standard letterforms issued to students and draftsmen. Drafting-room precision applied to lettering.
Inside this 1907 treasury:
Letterforms with history: this 1907 volume gathers medieval and illuminated le..
$24.95
Model: BK-AMATEUR-POTTERY-GLASS-PAINTER-1881
Glass painting with gilding directions, as an instant download.
The Amateur Pottery & Glass Painter (1881) by E. Campbell Hancock is the hobbyist’s angle — pottery and glass painting with gilding directions for the amateur hand. Charming Victorian instruction with real technique inside.
Inside this 1881 manual:
Glass was the sign painter’s finest canvas, and this 1881 volume teaches its crafts..
$24.95
Model: BK-ART-SCIENCE-GILDING-1909
Gilding science and practice, as an instant download.
The Art and Science of Gilding (1909) by Ford & Mimmack treats gilding as both art and science — the chemistry and the craft of gold-leaf work. A direct match to the gold-leaf product line and the book her gilding customers have been waiting for.
Inside this 1909 treatise:
From surface prep to the final burnish, this 1909 treatise walks thr..
$24.95
Model: BK-ART-LETTERING-SIGN-PAINTER-1878
The 1878 predecessor to Atkinson, as an instant download.
The Art of Lettering and Sign Painter’s Manual (1878) by Allen P. Boyce is the early complete sign-painter’s manual — the “up to now” of its own day and the predecessor to Atkinson’s 1909 book. Lettering alphabets and sign-painter’s practice from the dawn of the trade-literature era.
Inside this 1878 textbook:
Allen P. Boyce’s 1878 textbook..
$24.95
Model: BK-ART-SHOW-CARD-WRITING-1907
The earlier Strong edition, as an instant download.
The Art of Show Card Writing (1907) by Charles J. Strong is the earlier edition of the classic treatise — the same great teacher’s method in its first book form, 222 pages. Collect both editions or study the one that suits.
Inside this 1907 manual:
Show card writing was a trade of its own, and this 1907 manual teaches it like one: one-stroke show..
$24.95
Model: BK-ART-SHOW-CARD-WRITING-1922
The classic show-card treatise, fuller edition, as an instant download.
The Art of Show Card Writing (1922) by Charles J. Strong is the fuller later edition of the classic show-card treatise — 262 pages of card-writing method, alphabets, and layouts from one of the trade’s great teachers. The definitive Strong edition.
Inside this 1922 textbook:
From Charles J. Strong (1922): 262 pages of price-ti..
$24.95
Model: BK-BOOK-ORNAMENTAL-ALPHABETS-ANCIENT-1860
Victorian ornamental alphabets, as an instant download.
The Book of Ornamental Alphabets, Ancient & Modern (1860) by Freeman Delamotte is a Victorian treasure of decorated letterforms — ancient and modern ornamental alphabets that remain prime source material for sign ornament and decorative lettering. One of the great 19th-century pattern books.
Inside this 1860 pattern-book:
A pattern-book o..
$24.95
Model: BK-EXPERT-CALCIMINER-1912
By the same Kelly as the Expert Sign Painter, as an instant download.
The Expert Calciminer (1912) by Albanis Ashmun Kelly is by the SAME Kelly as her “Expert Sign Painter” (1922) — the calcimining and distemper companion to the great sign-painting manual. A natural companion product for every Kelly buyer.
Inside this 1912 manual:
The painter’s trade in 1912: house painting taught as a complete sy..
$24.95
Model: BK-GILDER-S-MANUAL-1876
The oldest gilding title, as an instant download.
The Gilder’s Manual (1876) is the complete practical gilding guide and the oldest gilding title on the list — oil and water gilding, leaf handling, and the gilder’s processes as practiced in 1876. The foundation of the gilding shelf.
Inside this 1876 manual:
Gilding is a trade of patience, and this 1876 manual teaches it completely: gold leaf gildi..
$24.95
Model: BK-GILDING-STAR-1916
The short gilding title, as an instant download.
The Gilding Star (1916) by Stephen Chalmers is the short, bright gilding title — the essential processes of gold-leaf work in compact form. A quick study for the gilder who wants the method without the bulk.
Inside this 1916 treatise:
From surface prep to the final burnish, this 1916 treatise walks through water gilding and oil gilding the way gilde..
$24.95
Model: BK-PAINTER-GILDER-VARNISHER-S-1894
The comprehensive painter’s companion, as an instant download.
The Painter, Gilder, and Varnisher’s Companion (1894) by William T. Brannt is the comprehensive reference — painting, gilding, and varnishing processes, recipes, and methods in one working companion. The tradesman’s shelf reference.
Inside this 1894 treatise:
From surface prep to the final burnish, this 1894 treatise walks through wate..
$24.95
Model: BK-PAINTER-S-MANUAL-1868
Methods and recipes from 1868, as an instant download.
The Painter’s Manual (1868) is methods and recipes from the old school — the oldest painter’s manual on the list, with the mixing, grinding, and application knowledge of the mid-19th-century trade. Antiquarian and genuinely useful.
Inside this 1868 companion:
Graining, marbling, and fine brushwork: this 1868 volume teaches calcimine and distem..
$24.95
Model: BK-PALMER-METHOD-SCHOOL-PENMANSHIP-1909
The famous Palmer method, as an instant download.
The Palmer Method School of Penmanship (1909) by Francis B. Courtney is the famous Palmer method in its school edition — the muscular-movement handwriting system that taught America to write. Short, name-recognition, and genuinely effective instruction.
Inside this 1909 handbook:
Francis B. Courtney’s 1909 system builds the hand from the ground up:..
$24.95
Model: BK-PENMAN-S-HAND-BOOK-1883
The big compendium for penmen, as an instant download.
The Penman’s Hand-Book (1883) by G. A. Gaskell is the big compendium for penmen and students — a wide-ranging handbook of penmanship, lettering, and the penman’s art. The one-volume reference for the writing trade.
Inside this 1883 treasury:
Letterforms with history: this 1883 volume gathers medieval and illuminated letterforms, drawn at a sca..
$24.95
Model: BK-PRACTICAL-SHOW-CARD-WRITER-1905
The thin practical card book, as an instant download.
The Practical Show Card Writer (1905) by Richard Otto Bersick is the thin, practical card book — a short working manual for the card writer who wanted method, not bulk. Small but genuine trade content.
Inside this 1905 manual:
Show card writing was a trade of its own, and this 1905 manual teaches it like one: one-stroke show card alphabets, pri..
$24.95
Model: BK-PROCESS-GILDING-BRONZING-PICTURE-1884
Gilding and bronzing for frame shops, as an instant download.
The Process of Gilding and Bronzing Picture Frames (1884) by Isaac H. Walker teaches gilding and bronzing for the frame shop — the picture-frame trade’s own gilding method. Frame-shop crossover for the gilding shelf.
Inside this 1884 treatise:
From surface prep to the final burnish, this 1884 treatise walks through water gilding and oil..
$24.95
Model: BK-ROMAN-ALPHABET-DERIVATIVES-1925
Trajan-column lettering reproduced, as an instant download.
The Roman Alphabet and Its Derivatives (1925) by Allen W. Seaby reproduces the Trajan column lettering and traces its descendants — the classical-alphabet angle for sign painters who cut Roman capitals. The root of Western lettering, studied properly.
Inside this 1925 pattern-book:
A pattern-book of letterforms: ornamental alphabets and i..
$24.95
Model: BK-SIGN-WRITER-GLASS-EMBOSSER-1898
Sign writing plus glass embossing, as an instant download.
The Sign Writer and Glass Embosser (1898) by W. & W. G. Sutherland pairs the two trades — sign writing and glass embossing — in one practical volume. The natural companion to Callingham’s 1890 guide, from the British trade.
Inside this 1898 guide:
Sign work before vinyl: pictorial and decorative brushwork, taught step by step in this 1..
$24.95
Model: BK-SILENT-SIGN-WRITER-1903
Entirely about the art of the sign writer, as an instant download.
The Silent Sign Writer (1903) by Samuel Myron Erbar is entirely about the art of the sign writer — the trade, its methods, and its philosophy, with the name recognition that has carried it for over a century. The sign writer’s own book.
Inside this 1903 guide:
Sign work before vinyl: pictorial and decorative brushwork, taught step ..
$24.95
Model: BK-ZANERIAN-MANUAL-ALPHABETS-ENGROSSING-1918
The most famous American lettering manual, as an instant download.
The Zanerian Manual of Alphabets and Engrossing (1918) by C. P. Zaner is the most famous American lettering and engrossing manual of its era — the Zanerian master course in ornamental alphabets, engrossing script, and fine pen work. The essential companion to any Speedball or sign-painter’s shelf.
Inside this 1918 pattern-book:
A p..
$24.95
Model: BK-THEORY-SPENCERIAN-PENMANSHIP-1874
The Spencerian theory booklet, as an instant download.
The Theory of Spencerian Penmanship (1874) is the Spencer authors’ theory booklet — the principles behind the most famous American hand, in compact form. The thinking that underlies the Spencerian system’s beauty.
Inside this 1874 handbook:
the Spencer brothers’s 1874 system builds the hand from the ground up: muscular-movement drills, then bu..
$24.95
Model: BK-TICKET-WRITING-SIGN-PAINTING-1928
The later ticket-writing manual, as an instant download.
Ticket Writing and Sign Painting (1928) is the later ticket-writing manual — the same trade a dozen years on, for comparing how the craft moved between 1916 and 1928. Or simply the newer method, on its own.
Inside this 1928 manual:
A dozen years later, the same trade with a new hand: this 1928 manual updates ticket writing and sign painting ..
$24.95
Model: BK-TICKET-WRITING-SIGN-PAINTING-1916
Ticket writing for the trade, as an instant download.
Ticket-Writing and Sign-Painting (1916) teaches the ticket writer’s craft — show-card-adjacent trade content for the men who lettered tickets, tags, and small commercial work. Practical, specific, and very usable.
Inside this 1916 manual:
Ticket writing was show card writing at speed, and this 1916 manual trains exactly that: one-stroke show ca..
$24.95
Model: BK-TREATISE-CARRIAGE-SIGN-ORNAMENTAL-1841
The earliest book on the list, as an instant download.
The Treatise on Carriage, Sign, and Ornamental Painting (1841) by Orson Campbell is the earliest book on the list — trade instruction from 1841, when sign painting was still young in America. Antiquarian appeal with the earliest methods recorded.
Inside this 1841 companion:
Graining, marbling, and fine brushwork: this 1841 volume teaches calci..
$24.95
In Stock
Model: BK-SHOCARDS-1918
"A Show At" Sho' Cards (1918) — Digital Download
The show-card writer's bible, as an instant download.
"A Show At" Sho' Cards by F. H. Atkinson & G. W. Atkinson (1918) is the definitive manual for the show-card writer: hundreds of lettered card designs, price tickets, sale cards, and display layouts, with alphabets, borders, ornaments, and color schemes for every kind of retail sign card.
D..
$24.95
In Stock
Model: BK-ATKINSON-1909
"Atkinson" Sign Painting Up to Now (1909) — Digital Download
The classic 1909 sign painter's manual, as an instant download.
"Atkinson" Sign Painting Up to Now by Frank H. Atkinson is the turn-of-the-century sign painting text that sign design enthusiasts revere — 75 alphabets covering every standard style with their modifications and alternates, plus 96 sample sign designs and layouts with acco..
$24.95
In Stock
Model: BK-GEORGE-1927
Elementary Alphabets and Their Construction (1927) — Digital Download
The beginner's lettering primer, as an instant download.
Elementary Alphabets and Their Construction by Ross F. George (5th ed., 1927) is the starter book for Speedball pen lettering: how to hold the pen, basic strokes, constructing each alphabet from simple forms, and practice drills — the foundation every letterer begins wit..
$24.95
In Stock
Model: BK-MATTHEWS-1920
How to Paint Signs and Sho' Cards (1920) — Digital Download
100 alphabets and designs, as an instant download.
How to Paint Signs and Sho' Cards by E. C. Matthews (1920) is a complete self-instruction course: 100 alphabets and designs, plus chapters on mixing paints, gilding, tricks of the trade, and commercial art work.
DetailsComplete 1920 edition scan — 102 pages
100 alphabets and desig..
$24.95
In Stock
Model: BK-SPEEDBALL-1915
The original Speedball pen booklet, as an instant download.
Presenting the Speed-Ball Pen, with Alphabets by Gordon & George (1915) is where Speedball pen lettering started — alphabets, drawings, and designs executed with the first Speed-Ball lettering pens, by the pens' co-developers William Hugh Gordon and Ross F. George.
DetailsComplete 1915 booklet scan — 46 pages
Alphabets, drawing..
$24.95
In Stock
Model: BK-KELLY-1922
The Expert Sign Painter (1922) — Digital Download
The sign painter's desk reference, as an instant download.
The Expert Sign Painter by A. Ashmun Kelly (2nd ed., 1922) is the trade's bench reference: lettering principles, alphabets and numerals in every style, layout and spacing, color harmony, gilding on glass and wood, gold and silver leaf, smalting, stencil cutting, varnishes and mediums, gla..
$24.95
In Stock
Model: BK-HUSSEY-1916
The Sign Painter: The Best Ways to Learn Sign Painting (1916) — Digital Download
A complete trade course in sign painting, as an instant download.
The Sign Painter by A. R. Hussey (1916), from the Pullman School of Lettering in Chicago, is a complete system of lessons for beginners — first principles, lettering alphabets and layouts, then working processes: gilding on glass and surfaces, gold an..
$24.95
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