Category Archives: Uncategorized

In Celebration Of: The Pen

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Antony and Cleopatra. Romeo and Juliet. Scarlett and Rhett.

We love a good love story.

But our favorite is that of Pen and Paper.

Thus, we were delighted to pick the brain of Rick Propas — a specialist for Swann Auction Galleries, where he directs the newly created Department of Fine and Vintage Writing Instruments — whose first pen was given to him more than 50 years ago.

Rick Propas, lefty.

“In the Jewish tradition, it’s customary to give a boy a fountain pen at his bar mitzvah,” Propas explained. “I didn’t get one, and when I complained to my dad, he pulled out his own pen and gave it to me.”

Propas has been collecting vintage pens ever since.

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The Making Of: Our New Americana Collection

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In this edition of The Making Of, we take a look at yet another one of our new collections (my, our design team has been busy).

Patriot meets pen in a premier collection celebrating all things red, white and blue. We’re calling it — drum roll, please — Americana. And what better time to launch it than while we’re all dreaming of fireworks and BBQs?

First, there was Inspiration.

americana stationery collection inspiration“This collection came together as I was going over the archives,” recalls VP of Creative & Product Development Rachel V. Ivey. “I noticed that Crane was present for every Presidency. With an election approaching, developing a collection that celebrates our country was a pleasure.”

Next, the team thought about Americana’s target customer, and came up with three types:

  • The Classic American, who loves rich history.
  • The Proud American, who isn’t afraid to wear her U.S.A. love on her sleeve.
  • The Young American, who is learning how to become more involved in his country.

Finally, it was time to think design.

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Post Script: Calligrapher Angela Welch

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Quite often we get asked about one particular wedding invitation design we offer. More specifically, we get asked about the ‘font’ on that invitation.

silver bevel calligraphy personalized wedding invitationThe font in question, we tell them, is actually calligraphy done by one Angela Welch.

calligraphy artist angela welch pen and pauperThe bubbly Alabamian (is there any other kind?) has been providing her fanciful flourishes for us for years, and so we thought it was about time we highlighted the woman behind the nib.

When did your interest in calligraphy begin?
Before the age of six for sure. In first grade I never knew my place in the reader when my teacher called on me to begin reading — I was too busy trying to write a “fancy” alphabet of my own.

My first calligraphy job was in the sixth grade and a teacher asked me to letter, in Old English, the heading of a flyer to be printed. I loved the challenge of making a beautiful mark with lots of different mediums. My fascination with flourishing as a whole arm movement began in the third grade.

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Introducing Our Envelope Liners by the Sheet

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Like the pocket square or the cherry on top, an envelope liner is the exquisite detail that ties one’s stationery set together. It is the first hint of the specialness that is to come. We thought it was about time, though, that the envelope liner was the chocolate ice cream.

But enough metaphors. Introducing a carefully curated collection of some of our favorite envelope liners in all of their full-sheet glory. Inspired by the idea that they would be used for everything from scrapbooking to gift wrapping to interior decorating, we selected five liners from the Crane & Co. archives that we thought offered something for every taste and style:
Crane & Co. gold and green gift wrap

 

  • Fiorenza in the Spring Time Liner

How does your Italian garden grow? With elegant blooms of blue and blush flecked with gold. Our vintage Rossi envelope liner paper may be made in Italy, but we’re sure you’ll find beautiful ways to make it all your own.

Crane & Co. floral gold, blue and green envelope liner sheets Continue reading →

In Celebration Of: Engraving

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gold engraved calligraphy calling cardThere is something exquisitely special about an engraved piece of stationery. Just ask any fan of Downton Abbey or, well, anyone who is reading this blog right now.

Whether one considers a handwritten note or invitation a nostalgic luxury he or she refuses to give up, or simply a staple of any proper stationery wardrobe, all would agree that engraving is the grande dame of printing processes.

And so, we went on a mission to piece together the history of engraving. There is, we found, quite a bit of information available on the engraving of images, which goes back a long, long time: cavemen did it; so did the Egyptians.

But we were more curious about that point in history when someone thought, My, wouldn’t this piece of paper that I’m sending look so much lovelier engraved?

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Post Script: Bob Gregory, Crane & Co. Engraving Press Operator

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Bob Gregory EngraverHow can you pick out the guy who loves what he does? He’s the one who smiles when you ask him about it. And then keeps smiling throughout the entire interview.

That’s Bob Gregory, a native of North Adams, Massachusetts (where our paper magic happens) who works an engraving press like no one’s business. He’s also a Red Sox fan and could never work at a job in which he was “just sitting there.”

That’s good news for us, and whoever has the pleasure of receiving a box of stationery created by Gregory’s skilled hands.

Here, he chats with us about being a “wedding man,” naming his engraving press and his one degree of separation from a certain blue-eyed crooner.

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The Art of Photographing a Monogram

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Instagram. Hipstamatic. Twitpic. Sharing. Posting. Tagging. We’ve become (for better or worse) a society of sharers. Instant sharers at that. And thanks to smartphones touting cameras as good as most point-and-shoots, pictures of our meals, cats with books and celebrities on the subway actually look pretty darn good.

That said, shooting close-up details still requires the hand — and eye — of a professional. So we asked photographer David Nicholas, who recently shot some of our new wedding stationery collection, what exactly goes into capturing the incredible detail of an engraved monogram.

This is what David had to say about shooting the monogram seen below:

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Crane & Co. Heritage: Our Little Story

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Presidential stationeryWe’re quite proud of our heritage here at Crane & Co. A family-owned company that started as a little paper mill in Massachusetts during the American Revolution. Paul Revere used our paper, Presidents galore have used it and the U.S. Government still uses it. Celebrities past and present (a proper paper company never tells), society’s creme de la creme, Fortune 500 companies — our paper makes a statement, which is why it’s so revered.

But one doesn’t have to possess a famous last name to appreciate the finest paper. On the contrary, one simply needs to recognize and appreciate the beauty of classic correspondence. Which is probably the case if you’re reading this.

And which is probably why you just might enjoy watching a little story about our heritage. Enjoy!

The Creation of a Letterpress Wedding Invitation: Photo Essay

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We wish we could invite every future bride and groom to watch their wedding invitations be made at our factory in Dalton, Massachusetts. But that would be a lot of brides and grooms. On top of that, we’re guessing they’re pretty busy.

So, we thought we’d snap a few photos of the process. In this particular photo essay, we showcase how a letterpress wedding invitation is made. We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.

Crane & Co. In Action: Best Of 2011

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We love the fact that our invitations, stationery and business cards are completely customizable. From the monogram to the typeset to the ink color to the printing method, chances are, if you have a vision, we can put it on 100% cotton paper.

That said, we equally love when we see others use our paper in stunningly creative ways. So, without further ado, here are five of our favorite designs from 2011.

Happy Envelope Birthday Invitation

Best Birthday Party Invitation: Featured on Oh So Beautiful Paper, these invitations by The Happy Envelope were for a 4-year-old’s coun­try carnival-inspired birth­day party — mailed with a lollipop to sweeten the deal

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