1991.1016.27.2

Graily Hewitt (designer)

Letter from Graily Hewitt to Emery Walker dated 17th March 1929 about a new type face (1991.1016.27.2.a) plus its envelope (1991.1016.27.2.b), Found in the book, The Pen and Type Design, by Hewitt, Graily when acquired by the museum, shelf C3. Part of the Emery Walker Library.

Midhurst

1929-03-17 - 1929-03-17 1929 - 1929

20th century

letter, christmas card, press cutting

printed, handwritten

Letter from Graily Hewitt to Emery Walker dated 17th March 1929 concerning type. [Thyford] Midhurst . 17 Mar 1929. Dear Emery Walker, It is very kind indeed of you to have given my type such serious attention. I had great diffidence about sending it to you at all, for it seemed rather cheek to be inflicting a scribe’s airy visions about the business upon the master printer. And now I am very glad you can approve it so far. Of course now it’s done I see how much I could improve a second edition, - even from my own point of view. But the y would remain – to slant him wd. upset the whole applecart. As it happens the University Press nearly refused the type on y’s account & it was only after I had made another and they had printed something with it (the Bodleian’s catalogues of [Wheeler]) that I convinced them my view was the only consistent one and got them reconciled to my straight affair. I know it pulls the reader up at first. But after reading a page [inserted or six*] – [linking to note at foot of page] like Mr Winkle’s bottles! I have found people forget it & begin to appreciate the unfidgetty up & downness of everything. I shall indeed like to come and spend an evening with you and Bruce Rogers[i] and think myself much honoured – after Easter. I have been reading with great delight “The Master Makers of the Book” by Orcutt[ii] & am very glad to see that in his last two chapters he pays something like a proper tribute to yourself. Our regards to Miss Walker & hope that you have both skirted the influenza trouble and the pipe burst ditto as well as we have. Yours ever sincerely Graily Hewitt[iii]. [Envelope reads:] Emery Walker Esq 7 Hammersmith Terrace London W.6 [Footnotes: [i]For further information on Bruce Rogers see 1991.1016.543. [ii]Master Makers of the Book by William Dana Orcutt was first published in 1928. [iii]Graily Hewitt (1864-1952), English novelist and calligrapher. CAW]