The Stationers Guild

Few printing methods can compare with the caliber of an engraved wedding invitation. Although engraving was historically utilized create wedding invitations, baby announcements and business cards in your parent’s and grandparent’s generations, today’s printing methods are more productive but lack the high quality and vigor of engraving.

Most recently, the leading stationery retailers across the US report that wedding couples are now rediscovering the inherent attractiveness of engraving. Notwithstanding its higher price, engraved invitations bring back the traditions and elegance times past.

As the printing industry has moved to more cost-effective and more efficient types of printing, quite a few engraving firms have shut down and the craft of engraving is quite near vanishing. Although the resilient Heidelberg presses still exist in abundance, the creation of engraving dies from submerging light-sensitive copper plates into a bath of acid is beyond the financial abilities and expertise of the many private printers.

With its opaque colors and distinctive raised print resolution, engraved wedding invitations are experiencing a renaissance among the bridal couples who cherish a well-designed invitation. Among the key firms which provide different types of printing options, Crane & Co. and William Arthur give the very best design and printing choices.

If an engraved invitation is beyond your budget, opt for printing in thermograph inks. Utilizing thermograph inks simulates engraving by stamping a resin-based blend on the paper to form the raised surface which you find in engraving. Thermograph inks tend to be more shiny unless the printer provides a matte finish, but printing with this particular technique will provide great savings.

Like most fine stationery, engraved invitations should be seen in person to appreciate paper and print quality. Ink colors are opaque and richer, particularly if compared side-by-side along with other forms of printing. In all likelihood, you can find knowledgeable stationers in neighborhoods throughout the United States who are able to provide assistance in helping to craft wonderful wedding invitations.

Richard W. May, a founding member of the Stationers Guild, writes frequently about NYC wedding invitations and wedding invitation trends across the United States.

One of the highlights of my year is visiting Bob D’Arconte at his studio in Dumbo (Brooklyn, NY).  Bob does not suffer fools lightly, which is why I always ask Sheila to schedule the appointment.  We normally schedule a meeting in early August to select our holiday card designs, but this year we got overtaken by events (new granddaughter) and, as such, this meeting was a “last minute” attempt to salvage a few boxes of his much sought after holiday cards.

Each year, I try to select a few images that I believe can be faithfully reproduced in a digital format for viewing on the Internet.  I am always sorely disappointed since D’Arconte’s colors, beautifully engraved images and blind-embossed frames and designs simply can’t be properly reproduced in today’s digital medium.  For that I am truly sorry, since his flair and craftsmanship is - in my estimation - several steps ahead of the rest of the field that seems to have difficulty finding their identity in designs and print quality that simply lack inspiration.

Since we arrived late in the year, Bob was already well into formulating his new holiday cards for 2011.  Like all great artists, some of these “new” designs are mutations of earlier efforts, but all were dazzling examples of what an inspired artist can create who fully understands and appreciates the medium he is working with.   In addition to the holiday cards, we had the opportunity to see some of the initial designs of a new line of stationery that incorporates Bob’s unique art deco motifs.  While Bob can clearly visualize the end result of the design and engraved color combinations,  I saw a few geometric shapes and some “scratchings.”   He patiently talked us through his art deco concept and I am more than convinced that a rich stationery treat awaits us next year.

Found below are several holiday card designs featured in this year’s collection.  These cards are engraved on heavy paper stock and are available in only a few leading stores located in major metropolitan centers across the United States.  D’Arconte does not actively promote his stationery or holiday cards preferring to work only with a few qualified stationers and corporate clients who appreciate the uniqueness of his product and are as passionate about service quality as he is.  I mentioned to him that I had received several requests for images and samples of his designs and we agreed that perhaps next year we could throw up a website that would feature some of his remarkable holiday cards and perhaps some stationery.  I realize this doesn’t help those looking for his cards this year, but at least it is a step in the “right” direction.

Close Up of "Joy" Holiday Card

A word about D’Arconte’s designs.  First, the images don’t do his holiday cards justice.  Engraved images are three-dimensional and both the bold and subtle contours of his engraved designs and embossed frames are simply lost in most Internet browsers.  Secondly, the absence of color or pronounced “white space” only enhances the beauty and symmetry of his designs.  Seen on a “white” Internet background, this visual impact and sophistication is sadly lost.   Thirdly, D’Arconte “bumps” metallic inks (primarily gold and silver) twice to give them a rich burnished feel.  As each engraved color is applied in a separate press run, this extra “bump” for metallic inks  requires an additional run.  Trust me.  The impact couldn’t be more stunning.

Please find below two additional holiday card samples.

Richard W. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

Just received an announcement that Jamie Ostrow has resurfaced and has set up shop in East Hampton, New York.  While her website in not yet up, Jamie has contacted many of her dealers to encourage them to order her new letterpress invitation album and stationery album.  Her holiday album is also available and we understand that she is also working on a Wedding Invitation Album. 

According to Jamie, she will be manufacturing on premises “so that we can control all phases of productions, from order taking through shipping.  Some of you know that for the last several years, we relied on outside printers, now we’re back on our own presses.”

The biggest change Jamie’s loyal customers will notice is that Jamie Ostrow has now moved to letterpress rather than engraving.  While her sharp design, contemporary font styles and very clever wording remain, letterpress will give her  invitations, stationery and holiday cards a “softer” edge.  Personally, I think her clients will be pleased. 

If you are interested in receiving more information about the Jamie Ostrow line, please email Jamie at jamie@jamieostrow.com

Richard W. May

Several weeks ago Sheila and I paid a visit to Bob D’Arconte at his studio in DUMBO:  Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass in Brooklyn, NYC.  A visit with Bob is always both entertaining and educational since we are both so very opinionated.   As Sheila frequently remarks, “Rick is often wrong, but never in doubt.”

While D’Arconte’s fine engraved stationery and holiday cards  may not be as well known as Crane or William Arthur, he is a living legend in the stationery industry.  His holiday cards and stationery are unmistakable in their design simplicity and elegance.  His use of white-space and blind-embossing to frame his engraved designs create a three-dimensional feel that, in my opinion, elevates his work to an entirely different level.

I am hesitant to categorize D’Arconte’s style since under his skilled hand almost any object or landscape can easily be transformed into a work of art.  During our visit, D’Arconte was  in the process of engraving a two-colored peach motif onto a fold-over note.  Bob pointed out that the application of one color before the other created a hue that was quite different when the application of the  ink colors was reversed.  Certainly, the close registration printing and color-match required to create desired outcome: an engraved peach that looks almost eatable, is a tribute to Bob’s fine eye and mastery of his craft.

D'Arconte Engraved Christmas Card

Bob will probably slap my hand for including a sample of his new holiday card line because, quite frankly, the low-resolution internet images do not do them justice.  Bob and I had a long discussion on how the internet is destroying the public’s perception of fine stationery.  Neither Bob nor I can understand how anyone would ever consider buying stationery or a custom invitation online without the benefit of touching various papers and seeing how ink colors change depending on the paper stock and printing process.

While this sample image of D’Arconte’s holiday line give you a hint of Bob’s talent, you should make an effort to see these exceptional examples of contemporary engraving in person.  For instance, a snow globe in the  “Snowman in a Snow Globe” is blind-embossed and the outline of the globe is barely perceptible in a low-resolution internet  image.  I have purposely not reproduced the image because I felt it would detract from the elegance of the card.  In one of Bob’s vintage holiday cards, he has the New York skyline engraved in gold strategically placed inside a blind-embossed apple.  The “Big Apple has never looked so beautiful.

The D’Arconte line is not widely available owing to Bob’s desire to work only with experienced stationers who understand and appreciate his product and have the same attention to detail and customer service that he does.

It is indeed a pleasure to spend a few hours with a master craftsman.  Sheila and I were enriched by the experience.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

Several years ago, my wife and I had the opportunity to tour Crane & Co.’s impressive printing and paper manufacturing plants in western Massachusetts.  Crane’s facilities are spread throughout a number of plants and buildings in and around Dalton and North Adams in the Berkshires along the Appalachian Trail.  The rich traditions of this 200 year-old company are literally everywhere.  While most towns have a Main Street, Dalton has Crane Avenue.  For a delightful two hours of American history and fascinating insights into the art of making paper, we certainly recommend a visit to Crane’s Museum of Papermaking.

One of the more interesting aspects of our visit was seeing how engraving dies are made and watching Crane’s skilled craftsmen hand-feed paper through the printing press.  Together with letterpress, engraving is one of the oldest and most traditional forms of printing.  It is often used for wedding invitations, baby announcements and for both business and social stationery.  The raising printing, opaque colors and bruising on the back of the paper are signs that the paper has been engraved.

In this excellent video, Peter Hopkins, who writes the Crane Insider Blog, describes the process of engraving in exceptional detail.  Short of visiting the plant, Peter’s video illustrates the care, craftmanship and labor-intensive process of creating fine engraved papers.

To see the rich colors and beautiful samples of Crane’s engraved papers, contact a Guild member store in your neighborhood for more information.

Richard May
Founding Member