Ames, Daniel T. (ed.); H. W. Shaylor, Fielding Schofield, A. H. Hinman, C. J. Chapman, D. E. Blake, C. P. Zaner, et al.

Ames' Book of Flourishes. 125 Designs by Leading American Penmen

First Edition. New York: D. T. Ames, 1890.

Softcover oblong 4to, 72pp. Complete. Very Good with soil and tanning to wraps; contents with mild age toning. Unlike the popular "Real Pen Work Self-Instructor in Penmanship" which offered, the present work was "not offered as a text book... but a scrap-book of fancy penmanship, being by far the most comprehensive collection of the class of pencimens known as "flourishes" that has ever been published in book form. Some of the specimens shown were made for this volume, but by far the greater number have appeared in "The Penman's Art Journal" during the thirteen years of its career..." A rich compendium of flourishing in a range of applications: calling cards, billhead, certificates and logos, and many strictly decorative or illustrative works. Scarce, 8 copies in OCLC.Signature of John A. Kouwenhoven on the title page, dated 1964. Kouwenhoven was an influential scholar of American arts and culture whose publications included: "Adventures of America, 1857-1900" (1938), "Made in America: The Arts in Modern Civilization" (1948), "The Beer Can by the Highway" (1961), and "Half a Truth is Better than None" (1982). He also co-edited the "New York Guide Book" (1964).