Nib Childrens

How History Is The Main Reason Letter Writing Sets Are Considered A Quality Gift Option

For some, the idea of purchasing letter writing sets as a gift seems too thoughtless. However, those of us who appreciate some of the finer things in life recognise the significance of a gift that encourages self expression, personal communication and, perhaps most of all, an intimacy through the art of letter writing. A writing set connotes all of these aspects together.

The fact is that, to discerning individuals, the bells and whistles that come with some of the more modern gifts options, such as laptops, plasma televisions and iPods, distract the buyer from a lack of genuine craftsmanship. And it is craftsmanship that is seen as the true worth of any item.

Even a writing box, or wooden case in which paper, envelopes and ink are stored, is carefully crafted from start to finish. The case, the ink wells, the pens, the nibs, even the paper and correspondence cards included, all typically boast a quality that is hard to find today.

With the exception of hastily manufactured modern copies of the old designs, many of which are cheaply available in department stores and high street shops, these writing sets have always been made to the highest standards. This is why the finest antique sets and boxes, still complete with their components, can fetch prices of several hundred pounds.

You may wonder why such a fuss is made of these items. The fact is that well made writing sets and their constituent parts are a thrown back to a time in history when letter writing as not just an art, but a necessity. It was a golden era of slow mail, as it is referred to these days, when a correspondence of any type took time to reach the intended receiver.

Of course, even writing the correspondence took time and consideration, with penmanship just as important a part of writing as communicating the message in a properly structured manner, in grammatical terms.

Religious letters written by saints and disciples illustrate just how far back the art of letter writing goes. However it, was not until the 16th century that it began to grow within Europe, with Royal Mail founded in 1506 by King Henry VIII. The service was not available to the public until 1635, but within a few hundred years it grew in popularity.

With a reliable delivery service, letter writing became ingrained as the most important of skills, and invested in in much the same way that computer literacy is invested in today. Whereas now people travel with a laptop in their possession, travellers then went nowhere without paper, ink and pen, and required a sturdy and secure box in which to keep them together.

In homes, writing desks complete with every implement necessary were treasured as highly as the plasma tv is today, and considerable time was spent writing letters of several pages to relatives, friends, husbands, wives and children. What this means is that emotion and effort were equal influences on what was written down, ensuring that more than simply words were contained in a letter.

Safe in this knowledge, letter paper was of very high quality for those who could afford it, and items such as pounce pots, ink wells, nibs and blotters were all elegantly designed. And the boxes in which they were stored were made with the highest level of craftsmanship by skilled individuals, with mahogany a favourite wood to use.

The significance that history plays in letter writing today, is in some ways sad. Technological progress has reduced an essential ability to a hobby, and the number of personal letters, as opposed to bills, legal notifications and financial statements, that we receive in our post boxes is greatly reduced. Emails are the new correspondence cards, and the pc on our desks or the laptop on our laps can be considered the new writing box.

However, the upshot is that, since letter writing sets are no longer an essential tool, they now have arguably a more precious status amongst those who appreciate their worth. They bring history, and by association a certain quality, into a home.

But, perhaps most importantly, when a hand written letter sporting beautiful penmanship on high quality paper, neatly contained in a luxury envelope, arrives in the hand of the receiver, there is an immediate recognition of the effort and care the writer has taken.

As a gift then, the opportunity to impact on someone a sense of such worth and appreciation is the essence of the writing set as a gift.

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson writes articles about Mappamundi, a UK leading online unique gift shop that is dedicated to providing customers with high quality, carefully selected items from quality, trusted suppliers. There's something for everyone at Mappamundi, offering alternative and quirky birthday gifts ranging from correspondence cards, fob compass and leather journals to letter writing sets, writing box and notebooks for men and women. Talk to the friendly team for advice on which gift you should buy.

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