October 6, 2016
In
France, Handwriting, Love, World War II
October 6, 1943: With the Tommies
Image caption (front): The Tommies joyfully greet the coast of France during their Channel crossing.
September 28, 2016
In
France, World War II
France’s Duty is “To Trust”
While doing research for the book, I found this article. After reading the first few lines, all I could do was let out a big, long sigh.READ MORE
September 25, 2016
In
France, Handwriting, World War II
September 23, 1944: “…so now I am in France…”
This nostalgia-filled letter tugged at my heartstrings. You can feel the connection this soldier is yearning for as he asks about old friends and recalls carefree moments before the war. READ MORE
September 12, 2016
In
France, Germany, Handwriting, Service du Travail Obligatoire, World War II
September 7, 1943: “My dear, dear parents…”
What’s the first thing that caught my eye about this postcard from September, 1943? The unusual emerald green ink, of course!READ MORE
August 9, 2016
In
France, Photography, World War I
Getting the Photo Just Right
I don’t know about you, but I take terrible selfies. READ MORE
June 3, 2016
In
France, Germany, Handwriting, Service du Travail Obligatoire, World War II
March 8, 1944: “A budded flower and the sun that enters the room…”
Second to Marcel Heuzé’s letters, this postcard has been the most incredible find.READ MORE
May 17, 2016
In
France, Germany, Handwriting, History, Service du Travail Obligatoire, World War II
August 12, 1944: “I always wait impatiently for the end.”
This postcard was written August 12, 1944 by a man named Marcel.READ MORE
May 11, 2016
In
France, Germany, Handwriting, History, Service du Travail Obligatoire, World War II
December 4, 1942: “I hope that dreadful war will end soon…”
I presume this postcard was written by a Dutch laborer; clues include the date, the censor marks, the fact she was in Berlin. READ MORE
April 6, 2016
In
France, Germany, History, Service du Travail Obligatoire, World War II
February 21, 1944: “…stay brave, that’s what helps us to go on living.”
It might seem strange to say, but since finding Marcel’s letters, it feels as though other letters have found me. This is one such letter, which I recently had translated into English.READ MORE
April 1, 2016
In
Berchères la Maingot, France, Photography
Berchères-la-Maingot, 1906/1907
I’ve seen several old, photo postcards of Berchères-la-Maingot, the village where Marcel’s wife and daughters lived during World War II. Some images show bucolic rural settings, others show the harsh reality of hard-working farm and country folk scratching a living out of the earth. READ MORE
March 16, 2016
In
Design, France, P22 Marcel Script, Typography
The story behind the ampersand
Recently, someone asked a great question about the font ‘Marcel Script.’ They wondered if Marcel’s original handwritten letters included all of the individual letterforms I needed to create a basic character set.READ MORE
February 5, 2016
In
France, History, Typography
J. Giraud Fils Perfume Labels: Beauty for Eyes and the Nose
As a lover of all things related to old typography, I have to ask: How could I not have known about Jean Giraud Fils before now?!
READ MORE
February 2, 2016
In
Books, France, Gratitude, History, Publishing, World War II
Thank you, authors
During the last couple of weeks, I’ve been double-checking sources cited in the manuscript. READ MORE
December 25, 2015
In
France, Handwriting, History, World War II
December 25, 1944: “I trust all the family had a Merry Xmas”
December 25, 1944
France
No. 42
My darling wife,
It is Xmas day, and as far as the Army is concerned everything has been done possible to make it pleasantREAD MORE
Greeting Cards, Paris 1944
I adore these cards. The illustrations are filled with playful whimsy and delightful design elements. READ MORE
November 29, 2015
In
France, Germany, History, World War II
WWII Relève Propaganda Posters
By the summer of 1942, large numbers of working-age German men had been transferred to the eastern or western fronts to fight. This resulted in increased vacancies at factories and mines at the very point in time when more laborers were needed to support the German war industry.
November 17, 2015
In
France, Paris, World War II
To Paris, With Love
A note from Carolyn: Louise Dillery was one of two individuals who translated Marcel’s letters into English. When I asked what she would say to people in her beloved Paris following last week’s attack, she wrote the following, and wanted me to help get her message out:READ MORE
I.O.U. Eye Candy
Before credit cards, merchants would obtain “assurance” slips noting the client agreed to pay in 30 or 60 days, or some other agreed-upon schedule.
October 2, 2015
In
Art, Books, France, Germany, Typography, World War II
Hermann Zapf
Yesterday, a small cardboard box arrived, and as I walked up the driveway, I tried to puzzle out who it was from. When I opened it, I was delighted to see a hard-cover book from a Kickstarter campaign I backed months earlier, and had nearly forgotten about.