Search the Community

In the 16th century the angular Chancery hand which developed in Italy (often referred to today under the generic name of Italic) was, in Spain, made more rounded (under the influence of the Redondilla mercantile hand?) and so a new b=astard hand: the Spanish, was begotten. This hand continued to be used into the 20th century (I believe) alongside Inglesa/English Roundhand. I have scanned this set of plates, printed from steel engravings, of D. Juan Folguera y Plandolit's calligraphy, which I think accompanied a book written by him. They were published in 1853, according to the wrapper they came in. In plate 1, the slant is 60 or 61 degrees and the angle of the nib 35 degrees. The height of the minuscules is approx. 8mm and the caps. 16mm. When writing this hand, the paper is tilted to the left so that it is parallel with your arm as you may see below. This hand was written with a straight cut broad edged nib and today you could use a Wm. Mitchell Round-Hand pen, for example. Hi-res Scans are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21860485@N06/sets/ These are long out of copyright, so they are to free to use for whatever you want. They are copyright free. Some smaller images: http://i.imgur.com/JEdemXwh.jpg http://i.imgur.com/4EZx6UUh.jpg http://i.imgur.com/UPC78EIh.jpg http://i.imgur.com/RSu1Ak0h.jpg Here is an original example of this style of writing, written by the Spanish calligrapher Vicente Valliciergo http://i.imgur.com/chwyEVs.jpg That example is from this useful and interesting blog which has much on calligraphy and Spanish calligraphy: http://bibliotypes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/la-caligrafia-espanola-en-el-siglo-xix.html From the same blog, these images from other Spanish calligraphy books show posture and how to hold the pen for writing this hand (the hold on the left in the case of the 2nd image, the one on the right being for English Roundhand). http://i.imgur.com/b3Jpoqv.jpg http://i.imgur.com/iKVKc1R.jpg