Hi! I’m Gray Harris.

I created this website out of a love for the fascinating history and practice of writing during the “Golden Age” of penmanship in the United States.

My hope is to inspire and educate a new generation of penmen by providing a resource for the study of various types of American penmanship.

I’ve spent many hours combing through penmanship archives and instructional books both online and in print. Here, I share my discoveries and thoughts.

Random Facts About Me

1. I started my penmanship journey in the fall of 2017.

2. I live in Durham, North Carolina.

3. I am a collector of strange hobbies: I was deeply interested in the creation and care of bonsai trees until I fully appreciated how expensive it is.

4. I love sports, my teams are the UNC Tar Heels and Arsenal Football Club. North London is Red!

5. I also love video games, mostly single player games like RPGs or open world sandbox types.

6. I work in marketing and love connecting people with the healthcare that they need at UNC Health.

Have Vintage Penmanship? Get in Touch.

I’ve developed an extensive knowledge of the history of American Penmanship. I’m always looking for new facts or examples of work. If you or your family have some historic penmanship you’re interested in selling or learning more about, let me know.

I’d be happy to give you a rough estimate of its worth and either buy it myself or point you towards institutional archives or other collectors.

Acknowledgement

My deepest gratitude is hereby extended to the historic penman whose skill, enthusiasm and documentation have provided me with endless inspiration. 

I would also like to thank a few modern penman in no particular order for keeping the flame alive and freely sharing their knowledge:

• Dr. Joe Vitolo

• Delbert Tysdal

• David Grimes

• Michael Sull

• Nick D’Aquanno

• Chris Yoke

• M. G. Ward

• Michael Gebhart

• Alexander van den Bosch