The Stationers Guild

My recent Blog post on DIY wedding invitations prompted a good bit of feedback – mostly positive.  On the negative side, several people accused me of self-promotion or worse and felt I had a bias against “people doing their own thing.”  I am sorry I gave that  impression.  Quite the contrary, I was just trying to save people time, money and, quite possibly, much aggravation and embarrassment.   For those interested in “doing their own thing,” all I can say is “Go for it!”  Hopefully, my tips may keep your blood pressure in check until after the wedding.

In a not too unusual situation of DIY invitations gone awry, I present The Case of the Crooked Envelope.    It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes too much time to determine that grievous harm has come to this very attractive envelope (certainly looks like Crane & Co. was the victim this time around).   

 ”I say Watson, who defaced this lovely celadon (light green) wedding invitation envelope?”  

 ”Elementary, my dear Holmes,” responded Dr. Watson, “this otherwise lovely creation in 100% cotton paper by Crane & Co. was mutilated by a commercial printer.”  

Holmes, evidently surprised at Watson’s astute observation asked, “How can you be so confident?”

“Only a commercial printer would print on a straight line and then try to convince the client that the envelope was crooked,” responded a confident Watson. 

“Well said,” said a particularly jovial Holmes.  “I guess we can just mail this case into Scotland Yard.”

“Lovely pun, Holmes! I do so admire your skewed sense of humor,” laughed Watson and both men chuckled as they departed the crime scene.

For the bridal couple, this is no laughing matter.  Imagine ordering lovely wedding invitations and then – trying to save some time and money - have the envelopes mangled by a  commercial printer.  The fact of the matter is that most commercial printer are simply not equipped to print on heavy paper stock and certainly not on envelopes that have been lined.  

Again, we recommend that you plan wisely and consult with a qualified stationer in your neighborhood for proper advice.  Most stationers have highly calibrated equipment to print on heavy paper stock.   In fact, most qualified stationers would have recommended that State abbreviations be spelled out.  In this case “WI” should be Wisconsin.  Proper etiquette is free at qualified stationers.  

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

Swoozie’s, the gift  and stationery store chain, filed for bankruptcy on March 3.   Citing their ill-considered acquisition of 13 Blue Tulip stores in the northeast as a contributing factor to their demise, the Atlanta-based chain reportedly owns 43 stores in 15 states.

The bankruptcy of Swoozie’s is just another example of how venture capitalists have failed to understand the dynamics of the personalized stationery business.   Why Swoozie’s acquired the failed Blue Tulip stores (also in bankruptcy) last year remains a  mystery.  Nevertheless, I suspect that there was some form of finacial chicanery or tax play involved since both companies are owned by private equity firms.   As the financial crisis has taught us all: greedy financial wizardry lasts as long as the merry-go-round continues to go round.  I for one extend my heartfelt sympathy to each and everyone of the 350 Swoozie’s employees who have  lost their job.

The fine stationery industry is in a crisis:  there is simply too much product chasing a finite market.    Companies who seek to extend their distribution channels either physically or digitally will only compound the problem and most will fail.   I don’t have the answer, but what I see happening doesn’t augur well for the future of our industry.  It takes very bold leadership to back the “slow stationery” movement and continue to produce beautiful papers while other others are compromising standards to remain price-competitive.    Frankly, I don’t see much value in chasing the The Taylor companies down the price chain.  They are even beginning to make “Made in China” look good. 

Richard May
Founding Member Stationers Guild

Google Trends data suggests that searches for “birth announcements” and “baby announcements” are currently less than one third the level they were at the end of 2003.  Even I found this data surprising and, quite frankly, was at a loss to explain it and decided to do a little reasearch. 

I discovered that US births recorded in 2007 were at the highest level since the boom years of the late 1950s.   Of the record births recorded in 2007, over 40% were to unwed mothers.  Presumably, the demand for birth announcements is probably not strong among unwed mothers, but I have no empirical or annecdotal evidence to back up that assertion. 

One area that did intrigue me was the astronomical increase in cesearean deliveries over the last 30 years in the United States.  Well over a quarter of all deliveries are C-sections and recent studies suggest that it may now exceed 30%, with Westchester County (NY) leading the way with 46%.  During the 1970s less than 5% of babies were delivered by C-section.  Presumably, one might argue that this is a safer procedure for both mother and child; however, the World Health Organization argues that C-section delivery rates above 15% are not recommended.   Also, the United States has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the developed world despite that fact that well over 99% of deliveries occur in hospitals.    My research and a “heads-up” tip by close friends led me to an intriguing documentary entitled The Business of Being Born.  A video clip is shown below:

Most babies born in the U.S. are induced through a series of medication cocktails that one can only speculate if they are necessary and what harm they may cause to both mother and child.    As the documentary suggests, deliveries seem to be programmed to fit the schedules of either the doctor or the mother (or both) rather occuring naturally.  In fact, some hospitals offer a tummy-tuck after the C-section delivery of the “designer” baby.

These alarming statistics suggest that “giving birth” today in the United States is either a poorly planned outcome (unwedded mother) or simply a biological impediment that will cause you to take a few days off from your Yoga or tennis class.    In other word, giving birth ain’t that important anymore, so why send out birth announcements?

I would welcome a less alarming analysis, but surely these trends (the birthing trends, not birth announcement trends) do not augur well for our society. 

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

At this year’s International Gift Show at the Javits Center, Sheila and I were thrilled to find Forgetful Gentleman stationery. Nate and Brett, the two young owners of Forgetful Gentleman, are graduates of the University of Virginia who decided to take what started out to be a college business project (i.e. start a new business) to the next level.  Nate, who lives in New York City, explained that they wanted to create an elegant line of assorted stationery for “forgetful” gentlemen to pen a short note for both important and casual occasions. 

The idea was to provide time-challenged men with the necessary tools (i.e. fine stationery) to connect with others by way of a hand-written note.  In a world gone digitally overboard, this is an ambitious task.  In fact, it was Nate who suggested that I take a look at John Freeman’s The Tyranny of E-Mail, since he refused to have his life chained to the immediacy of a Blackberry.   Is this maturity beyond their years or simply a sign that the digital assault on our senses and sensibilities is drawing to a close?   I certainly don’t have the answer, but it is quite refreshing that these two young gentleman have embarked on this ambitious quest. 

Brett, who lives in San Francisco, explained that Forgetful Gentleman sells an assortment of notes printed in letterpress or flat-printed on quality paper.  Their “Elephant Line” consists of 12 note cards:  3 Thank You notes, 3 Birthday notes , 2 Thinking of You, 2 blank correspondence cards, 1 Congratulations and 1 “I love You.”  They even have included four stamped envelopes for those who have difficultly finding a Post Office.  We opted for the luxury suite in letterpress, which comes with a beautiful wooden box resembling a cigar box.  For those gentlemen who suffer from writer’s cramp, the box comes with a primer on articulate letter writing.

We wish Nate and Brett much success and do hope that they can make the National Stationery Show in May.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

The legendary Smythson of Bond Street has been sold once again to Greenwill SA, the holding company for the Tivoli group, an Italian leather goods manufacturer.  Now, better known for its luxury leather goods than its stationery, Smythson has undergone several ownership changes in recent years, the latest being the 2005 acquisition by Mike Sherwood, a Goldman Sachs banker.

Smythson was granted a Royal Warrant to Her Majesty the Queen in 1964 and other Royal warrants have followed.  Presumably, this Royal blessing allows you to price your products at levels which gives nose bleed to even the most intrepid shopper.

I do recall visiting Smythson’s Bond Street store many years ago and marvelled at their beautiful papers, exquisite designs and bold colors.  In the back of the store, there was a small room which had samples of “Royal” stationery, old engraving dies and a few photographs which traced the history of this esteemed stationer.  Like many others, I have hopeful that the new Italian owners will keep the paper presses and designers producing Smythson’s elegant stationery.  We would all be royally blessed.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

If you are seeking engraved stationery, now might be a good time to drop into your neighborhood stationery store to take advantage of Crane’s signature event engraving die sale.  Order 100 or more engraved cards, notes or stationery and receive you name or monogram die and return address die for free.  This is a savings of $96 and those dies are your to keep so you continue to save money on future stationery reorders.  Personalized stationery is a great gift for this Valentine’s Day.  Alternatively,  you may receive a free return address on thermographed personalized stationery on orders of at least 100 sets.  This sale ends on April 12, 2010.

Crane & Co. has one of the most extensive lines of stationery in the industry and this 200-year privately owned company is renowned for its close-registration engraving, beautiful cotton papers and strong customer service.  When purchasing stationery, we strongly recommend visiting an experienced stationer in your neighborhood to touch and feel the paper stock and see how ink colors change depending on the printing process used.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, The Morgan Library & Museum  in midtown New York City will have on display a hand-drawn Valentine Day’s cartoon from poet  E.E. Cummings to Marion Morehouse. 

Without question, the Morgan Library is one of the great architectural and cultural treasures in New York.  A visit to this magnificent Museum is provides a historical and visual perspective of the great traditions of Western culture that, in my experience, is not matched by any other museum in the world with the possible exception of the Getty Museum on the West Coast. 

While I was first drawn to the Morgan Museum to see the illustrated manuscripts (see above), I have now become a “book junkie” that has fallen in love with the Morgan Library.  The beauty of this three-story wood library makes you want to settle in for a lifetime of reading.  Each volume tells a story far  beyond the actual words in the book.  For instance, where else in the world would the find Goethe’s The Sorrows of Young Werther that was reportedly carried by Napoleon?   Where else can you see original music scores written by Mozart in his own hand and hand-written novels by the Bronte sisters?   The Morgan Library and Museum is a sacred place that inspires by its unique perspective on the rich traditions of Western culture.

In a delicious article, Alison Leigh Cowan of the New York Times writes of the many exhibits in the metro-area that will display memorable love letters and notes  to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  Ms. Cowan quotes Mark Twain as saying that ‘“The frankest and freest product of the human mind and heart is a love letter.  The writer gets his limitless freedom of statement and expression from his sense that no stranger is going to see what he is writing.”

This year, as in year’s past, I will pen a short love note to my wife of near forty years for Valentine’s Day.  Like Mark Twain, those few hand-written words reflect a “limitless freedom of statement and expression” that no other form of communication can match.  This Valentine’s Day, why don’t you plan on doing the same.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

During this week’s Gift Show at the Javits Center in New York City, Sheila and I were kindly invited to Constance Kay’s lovely studio  in midtown Manhattan for champagne and hor’dourves.  For those unfamiliar with Constance Kay, suffice to say that she is the High Priestess of greeting cards (boy would she hate that title). 

Contrary to what is going on in the greeting card industry, Constance is a beacon of light by helping many talented artists apply their unique talents to create a stunning array of hand-made greeting cards.   Representing well over 70 artists, Constance - with the able support of her husband David – encourages these artists to use their talent to create unique greeting cards for important occasions in people’s lives.  Each artist has their own style or “look” and it is breath-taking to see what these remarkable artists can create on a folded piece of elegantly crafted paper  not much larger that 5″x 7″.

As a favor, we received a few samples of new artists that have recently joined the fold.   For instance, Maureen Triece Cole, whose beautiful card sample is displayed above has a Masters of Fine Arts degree from Texas Women’s University and is an accomplished artist whose work has appeared in numerous juried competitions, group exhibitions and individual shows.  Erica DiPaulo (see design below) lives in central Ohio with her husband, two children, two dogs and a rabbit.  This beautiful collage in orange and textured paper makes me yearn for spring when the birds will begin to sing again.

Sheila and I have been so moved by the great artists featured by Constance that we donated the Therese Saint Clair  greeting card collection of over 5,000 cards to charity many years ago.   There are greeting cards and greeting cards, but a Constance Kay greeting card is to be treasured.  The artist supplies the cover to your personalized greeting, but you must supply the message. 

If you are looking to break out of the cookie-cutter greeting card mold and discover an artist who captures the spirit of the occasion, Constance Kay may be just what the doctor ordered.  We thank Constance for exposing these artists to a wider public and we and our clients are greatly enriched by the experience. 

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

Sheila and I just returned from the 2010 National Gift Show that was celebrated from January 30 through February 2 at the Javits Center in New York City.   The mood was certainly more upbeat than last year and most vendors seemed pleased with attendance and buying activity.

Expecting the worst, vendors seemed genuinely relieved and surprised at the volume of business that they were able to generate at both the Atlanta and NYC gift shows.    While several characterized it as “restocking due to depressed inventory positions,” there seemed to be a general level of optimism that things may have turned the corner.  This is purely annecdotal feedback and I have no solid statistical evidence to support an economic turnaround, but we will keep our fingers crossed.  We all deserve a bit of good news!

Richard May
Therese Saint Clair

Pam Danzinger of Unity Marketing reports that changing consumer communication behavior suggests bleak times ahead for the stationery and greeting card industry.  Ms. Danzinger, in a summary of her company’s report, argues that “the market for greeting cards is a tough one in today’s environment . . . as consumers turn to newer, faster and more user-friendly  communications alternatives.”   This should come as no surprise to anyone, but clearly it is already having a profound effect on manufacturers and distributors in this $41 billion industry. 

Excerpts of the Unity Marketing study printed on Newswire find young adults (age 25-to-34), are looking for alternatives to traditional paper cards and that, “Social Media” – notably Facebook, MySpace and Twitter – could be the future for this generation to send greetings.   Organizers of the National Stationery Show seem to be leading the way for this new adventure in digital correspondence. 

I have not read the report ($3,500 is a bit out of my league), but Ms. Danzinger segments her market into four “psychographic” groups with the “alternative seeker” comprising the largest segment.  I have no idea whether Ms. Danzinger coined these definitions or whether these are generally accepted academic terms describing social behavior.  In any event, I find the term “alternative seeker” rather vague and somewhat akin to “alpha female” or “Yuppie.”  Presumably, if you are marketing an “alternative seeker” you must have some idea where he or she is today. 

The compelling argument(s) for shifting from paper correspondence to digital communication is cost and efficiency.  It costs virtually nothing to send out “greetings” or “tweets” to your contacts and followers and this can be done so with a minimum of effort.  The question is:  If it costs nothing and is easy to do, does it have any value? 

In purely economic terms, if there is an unlimited supply of a product that costs nothing or virtually nothing to produce (i.e. air)  it has little perceived value to a buyer.  Why pay for something that is free?   Newpapers who give their content away for free online cannot be surprised that paid circulation and advertising revenue is declining rapidly. 

Without looking too hard into the crytal ball and trying to interpret what “alternative behavior” market segments will do, I believe that the end is in sight for companies that sell “paper stationery” online.   The justification is simple:  Why should I go online to purchase paper stationery when I can just as easily go online to send digital correspondence for free and with far less hassle?  In other words, once you are committed to the online experience, why go half-way?  Sure, some better known greeting card companies that provide digital stationery and invitations will survive simply collecting affilitate income and advertising revenue from those obnoxious ads that accompany most emails and “free” digital communication. 

Paper companies that continue to invest in quality products and designs may be forced to contract, but overtime they will become the value proposition to “alternative seekers” who eventually decide that “cheap” and “efficient” may send the wrong message for job interviews, getting married or annual holiday greeting cards.  I certainly hope so.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair