Do any of us here write with this script?



What type of nib would be appropriate for such a style?

Hi Robert,

Just a plain wide, sharp italic will do fine, provided you hold the pen perpendicular to the line of writing.

HTH, warm regards, Wim

Would any amount of oblique make a difference?

Hi Robert,

Yes, it would. If you consider the people who did this and how, they were standing behind a high, sloping desk, as far as I am aware, and writing was more like painting anyway, but they were writing neatly perpendicular to the direction of writing, with the paper aligned to the lower edge of their desks.

Now, if you look closely at the leter "e" in the piece, and I think that is the most indicative one of them all, because it seems to be done in 2 strokes only, you'll see that the horizontals are extremely sharp, and that the line gets very wide towards the vertical, and is widest at the most vertical point of writing. This essentially tells you a straight italic must have been used, although maybe a soft one to get some of the thicker pieces in "u"and "w".

Now, if you would use an oblique, writing in the same position, both the thickest and thinnest parts of the writing would be turned more anti-clockwise with a left footed oblique, and turned clockwise with a more right footed oblique.

Also, what you can see, is that the writer/painter/calligrapher has problems keeping his/her hand and the pen in it aligned straight, perpendicular to the line of writing, which is visible due to the just perceptible slant to the left. However, horizontals are thinnest, and verticals thickest, hence it must be a straight italic nib that was used.

HTH, warm regards, Wim

Bonus question: This is a famous illuminated manuscript, but who knows which?





(and don't cheat by looking at the image properties)

Hi Robert,

Well I guess I am not going to answer it then, because I already did. I copied it to look at the writing in more detail .

Warm regards, Wim

If you like that manuscript you might be interested in Ward Dunham, a truely nice guy:



Atelier Gargoyle

I will guess the Lindisfarne Gospels, but it's probably more obvious like the Bk. of Kells

I would say Book of Kells....

I should add, however, that my interest is in practical handwriting that can be used in everday pursuits such as regular correspondence, journal entries, etc. I find the rendering of Uncial writing too slow for those purposes, although it can be used as a supplemental hand for emphasis or decoration.

Book of Kells it is. A pat on the back to both of you.

Thanks as well to Mr. Pickering.