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
Dearest Mary,
This evening I felt an occasion to be spent at something other than work, so for the first time in a week I am here in my Nissen Hut before “lights out.”READ MORE
Most often, the pieces of handwritten ephemera I collect have to do with serious topics: war, legal contracts, pleas for emergency assistance.
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Something wonderful happened today: a thick stack of letters written by my grandfather, John Emery Porter (he went by Emery), were given to my dad. My dad had never seen these letters before; he didn’t even know they existed. The letters had been written between 1917 and 1919, and were written by Emery to his sister, Lois. Lois’ grandson gave them to my dad.
When I buy a piece of handwritten ephemera, it’s because something caught my eye: a decorative swirl, a unique number, an unusual color ink. Other times, it is because one individual letter is so spectacularly beautiful, buying it is like acquiring a work of art.
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As you may know, I collect handwritten ephemera: letters, cards, invitations, etc. I bought this pocket-size diary from 1881, thinking the writing might be a good reference source for a font […someday!]. I looked to see what the entry was for the 4th of July, hoping it would mention a parade or fireworks or a summertime luxury such as a drink with ice. It turns out the entry from July 2 is more interesting because it captures the day’s disastrous news: “President Garfield shot by an assassin twice at Depot in Washington. He got very near death…”