Monograms depend upon structural elements—such as stems and trunks—to hold them together. Monogram initials can not be taken apart without falling apart. A cipher is a series of wonderfully independent initials. Cipher initials depend on themselves alone; individual and expressive. Such as “N S C”. (Cipher is also spelled cypher.)
Lettering, on the other hand, can be all of this. Once again we are creating original lettering inspired by classic stationery engravers’ lettering style. Ours are drawn by hand with a pencil on paper. The resulting letter is then hand engraved. Our lettering creates monograms and ciphers. And, once again, entire names.
This magenta specimen is based upon a style from a tiny library of 20th-century stationery engravers’ lettering models.
For more about the tiny library, turn to The Complete Engraver, pages 168 to 189.