The Art of Stationery

In a world that's moving quickly toward a technical direction (email, social networks, etc.), the question of high prices for what is better known to most as a "paper" has always been a mystery... 'til now.

To a designer who creates with paper, fine stationery is truly a work of art. A wedding invitation suite can take anywhere from 24 to 24+ hours of manual labor to assemble- depending on the intricacy of the design. Each piece is hand cut and hand mounted, and no two are ever alike. So as a bride chooses her wedding dress for the big day, the process of creating a wedding invitation ensemble is quite similar... everything begins from scratch. The only difference being, one is created from fabric, the other from paper.

Crane & Co since the beginning of their existence, has been known as the "gold standard" for fine stationery. Publishing the Crane's Blue Book of Stationery, which no doubt sits on the shelves (or in my case, right next to my Mac) of almost all in the fine stationery industry, solidifies this title. Captivated since I was a little girl, I would walk down the small isles of the Crane & Co store and simply gaze at their beautiful letterpress pieces made of the most luxurious cotton paper. It caught my attention back then, and it still does to this very day.

I was always one who was much slower to embrace the fast evolving technological world. I love receiving my emails, etc., but there is nothing more special than receiving a hand written card by way of pony express... snail mail. Below is a video clip by Crane & Co demonstrating their gilding process and the amount of work it takes to complete a batch of their legendary stationery. I completely appreciate this clip as it truly shows how fine stationery are masterpieces through the eyes of the creator, and heart of the recipient.