How to write in a 18th century manner

Hello!

This article is a little different because it is not about clothing but about writing. In writing too there is fashion gothic vas the main medieval fashion and ''comic sans ms'' was in the beginning of the 2000's.

To reproduce 18th century personal letters, some tool are need.

First thing first the paper to write on. Paper in 18th century was made out cloth and not from like our modern wood fiber paper. It was called rag cloth paper according to my friend and historian Cathrine Davis. There is still working paper mills like the''moulin à papier de Sainte-Suzanne '' en Mayenne. In the province of Québec. the very first economuseum is an artisanal paper making place: the Papetrie St-Gilles.

Second thing needed is ink. Many recipes existed in the 18th century as the long description of Diderot and D'Alembert encyclopedia of writing ink shows. They even talk about invisible ink, for my spies friends.

Third, a tool is needed to apply the ink on the paper. I still use a metallic pen because all my trials with feathers cutting were really bad. Using those pen was making my writing hand like a child one and I do not want to share the ugliness with the Web. I have found one quick  video about how to cut a pen. Lately my friend Joseph Gagné shared another video, more complete about it here.

The last and maybe sometimes forgotten thing to have is not material but essential: the calligraphy itself. The movements needed to write with a dripping pen is different from a modern stylo. The angles will modify the apparences of the different letters. I have finally found a documented historical on how to form letters dated from the early 1700's. It's full title is :Livre d'écriture représentant naivement la beauté de tous les caractères financiers maintenant à la mode. Avec un traité, contenant les véritables moyens pour apprendre facilement à bien escrire, et parvenir en peu à la connoissance de cet Art. Escrit et gravé par Louis Senault escrivain juré. Dédié à monseigneur Colbert. 



I practiced my calligraphy hand using that book when I made a treasure hunt for my boyfriend in Quebec City in the end of June.

Letters of the clues for the treasure hunt 

folded in the 18th century manner

The letters-clues after the treasure hunt...

A pile of clues

All the letters were fold in a way that avoid the messager to read it before the receiver

Open a letter is not always an easy task 

Here is  a look of what the clues looked like. 

Will you know the next destination?

So it was what I wanted to share about my beginnings in historical writing. 

Mlle Canadienne