Once the basic letterforms have been mastered the best way of acquiring a fluent Italic hand is to study examples of successful Italic handwriting. Books by Wilfrid Blunt, John le F Dumpleton, Alfred Fairbank and Tom Gourdie, among others, all contain a wealth of fine examples, usually in the form of correspondence (with the added bonus of the reader being able to see how to properly set out a letter, with regard to correct margins, line spacing, etc.).

Here are a selection of pieces from the Society’s own archives which may similarly serve as exemplars for those wishing to improve their handwriting or to develop their own Italic style.