Pen, Paper, and Passion: Unwrapping the Art of Letter Writing
I received some pretty cool gifts for my birthday this year.
I got pretty cool gifts from my mom and brother for my birthday this year.
Over the past three to four years, I've grown fond of writing letters the traditional way - the old-fashioned kind of letters you send USPS to family and friends.
Skipping email and text messaging and opting for USPS is also somewhat of an adventure. For example, I mailed letters to my friends, Stuart and Chris, in Australia. Despite needing multiple stamps and a month's journey, they eventually arrived!
However, I did have my doubts about whether or not they would arrive.
To fully enjoy the writing process, you need the right tools to make it special. You don’t want to write just a note; you want to create an experience that people will remember.
For letter writing, having the right tools is essential. My current set includes:
A wax seal with my initials
Wax for the wax seal
Personalized stationery with matching envelopes
I'm always on the lookout for items that can enhance this experience.
While I rarely ask for anything for my birthday, I put a few writing items on my wish list this year and was pleasantly surprised when I received them.
The first gift I received was a set of paper from my mother.
No, this isn’t paper you can pick up at your local Staples or Walmart. She gave me Amalfi Writing Sheets and Envelopes for my birthday.
For those of you unfamiliar with this paper, let me give you a little background.
This paper comes all the way from a small town in Italy called Amalfi. Amalfi is southeast of Naples, Italy, and is one of the oldest paper-making centers in Europe.
One of the oldest records of Amalfi’s paper production dates back to 1231. The paper you purchase from them today is made by hand the same way it was made in the 13th century.
It comes from rags, generally from cotton or linen cloth, which are bleached, shredded, and mixed with water; they are then ground and reduced to a pulp into which the form (a cloth with a wooden border and a watermark in the center) is dipped.
The watermark is crucial in distinguishing the different papermakers and the type of paper produced: the Amatrudas’ depicts a coat of arms with three Angevin fleurs-de-lis, evidence that the family was already making paper during Angevin rule in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1282-1442).
Holding it in your hands feels like holding a piece of history. It connects you with a time that has passed us by centuries ago. This paper is considered almost eternal, and it’s a paper that the Vatican still uses.
Unless you write on it, it’s a feeling you can’t replicate.
To learn more about the art of paper making in Amalfi, check out this article.
In addition to the paper, I also asked my brother, David, for a new fountain pen like the one he has.
David is my youngest brother, and he’s also the one I trade weekly letters with via the mail. He followed after me and developed a keen interest in the world of paper and developed quite a collection of fine paper products and writing instruments.
For my birthday, David gifted me the Kaweco 70s Soul fountain pen!
It’s a nice fountain pen with an orange cap, cream-colored body, and a warm golden trim, nib, and clip.
If you want to receive a letter from me, please join my letter-writing list. Just email me at APL@andrewloposser.com, and maybe you'll find a handwritten note in your mailbox soon!
I hope you enjoyed this non-political update about how my holiday is going and some of the things I enjoy aside from politics.