STATIONERY BUREAU

This months bureau is dedicated to beautiful stationery items from the past.

Bureau Contents: Envelopes, note paper, wooden rulers, writing wallets, pens and pencils, note books, exercise books, pencil cases, hole punches, ink, rubber stamps, luggage labels and paper clips.

Below, throughout March, I focus on some of the contents from the Stationary Bureau.

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

The Complete Guide to Letter Writing was once the property of Blackpool District Libraries, last borrowed on November 1st, 1984. It was published by Frederick Warne in 1962.

The book contains tips for writing letters for all occasions, with chapters on business correspondence and home letter writing. The preface states that the letters should not be copied word for word, but their general style to be followed, so that the reader will learn how to write a good letter. There is even instructions for how to address an envelope correctly.

Here are some tips for the gentlemen letter writers:

Miscellaneous Stationery

                                                           Mory S A - Marseille Pen

                                                           Navy Blue Gummed Labels

My Weekly Addresses book with lovely endpapers

Mrs Knight's Fabric Notes

                                  Hand printed purses inspired by Mrs. Knight's notes.

Mrs. Knight's Notes

I found a box full of keepsakes at the flea market in Greenwich five years ago, a life forgotten and unwanted was recorded inside. As I looked through the photographs, letters, postcards and travel mementoes, I tried to piece together a story about the former owner of these curious things.

Her name was Mrs. Maria Knight, previously known as Miss. Niggenkemper. From what I can piece together she was possibly a German evacuee during the Second World War. Amongst the papers I found a receipt for the Women's Internment Camp on the Isle of Man, wartime songs and uniform regulations for allied civilians. She was interested in linguistics and I have a feeling that she worked as translator.

Old Stock, The Modern Exercise Book

I bought this exercise book from Pegga Stores at the Blackheath Standard. They sell greetings cards, gifts and stationary. It is the type of shop that has not changed much over the years. There is a beautiful old till and enamel signs mounted on the walls advertising stationary items. The shopkeeper was so surprised that I wanted this exercise book, there was a small pile of them gathering dust on the shelf. I love the typography and the lines on the cover to write your name and class subject.

Post Office Telegram

Howes Rubber Stamp

68, Atlantic Road was once home to Howes LTD, which was a confectionery wholesale store.
This is one of their old business stamps that I found at the local flea market. I am not sure when the shop opened, the only information I could find after a search on the web, is a photograph of what it looked like in 2001. You can see it via Urban 75. It had laid empty for ten years before being converted into a bar.

Vintage Green Hole Punch

Air Mail Envelopes

Typewriter Ribbon

Coronet Drawing Pins

Super Quink Ink

Lily Couch's Writing Case

My great grandmother, Lily Couch, loved making things. She made furnishings for the home, including lampshades and pleated cushion covers. She was a dab hand at crochet, pottery painting and leather work. My mum remembers her saying that she always liked to keep her hands busy.

This leather writhing case is one example of her leather work. I have no idea how she managed to write her initials so beautifully on the front in the swirly letters. It is probably over 60 years old, so old that it has got verdigris on the brass press stud. I am not sure if she made it at night school or if she followed a design from a 30s or 40s craft book.

The Floral Graphite Pencil Box

This beautifully designed pencil box was manufactured by the Cumberland Pencil Company Limited at Keswick, Cumbria. Unfortunately I do not have any of the "Floral" graphite pencils that were once inside.

The business began in 1832 and became the Cumberland Pencil Company in 1916, followed by the Derwent brand of fine art pencils in 1938. In 1981 the original factory in Keswick became home to the Pencil Museum, taking visitors through the fascinating history of pencil making.

Hilman Pencil Case, made in Manchester

Envelopes

The 1950s Office

A collection of photographs found at the flea market. The typewriter looks like a 1950s Adler.

Parcel Labels

Stationery Shopping

                                   A.E. Barrow Newsagent, 76 Chatsworth Road, London E5.