Our handwriting’s just one of the many facets of ourselves. January 23rd is officially known as “National Handwriting Day” as it falls on the birthday of John Hancock, the first person to sign The Declaration of Independence. The Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association started this holiday in 1977 to acknowledge the history of penmanship and to …
Category: History
Spotlight on Marcardin Calligraphy
We sat down with Heather Brock of Marcardin Calligraphy to talk about her beginnings as a calligrapher and how she became inspired to start her own company. Q: “Marcardin” is such a unique name. Can you please tell us the significance of why you chose that name for your company? HB: The name Marcardin is very …
138 Years of Dempsey & Carroll
As we approach our 138th anniversary on August 28th, we look to our heritage and how we have carried on the tradition started by John Dempsey & George Carroll in 1878. From our first location in Union Square, to our current home on the Upper East Side, we have proudly stayed close to our New …
The History of the Calling Card
To honor our Annual Calling Card Event, we wanted to share the history of the calling card and how its purposes have evolved over time. We hope that this piece inspires you to put your best card forward! History Before the age of the telephone, the calling card (or carte de visite in French) had a significant …
The 2016 Museum Mile Festival
We had the opportunity to enjoy this year’s Museum Mile Festival on Tuesday evening, a cultural celebration hosted by the storied institutions of Fifth Avenue. The festivities spanned Fifth Avenue, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 82nd Street, to The Museum of the City of New York and El Museo del Barrio at 104th Street. It …
Memorial Day Weekend 2016
It’s finally feeling like summer and we love using holidays as a chance to leave the city and travel. Here are a few of the places where the Dempsey & Carroll team could be found over Memorial Day Weekend. Oxford, Mississippi Fun Fact: Memorial Day began in the state of Mississippi in 1866 as a day …
Love: A History
At Dempsey & Carroll, Valentine’s Day is a particularly exciting holiday. A recent article in People highlighted the history of this holiday, and how Valentine’s Day cards came to be, with the first cards dating back to the third century. We love sweet handwritten sentiments, but for us, what’s most interesting about Valentine’s Day is …
Spotlight on Hall Cannon and Miles Refo
Dempsey & Carroll’s Austin Ackles sat down with ex-pats Hall Cannon and Miles Refo to talk about life in New Zealand and their wonderful resort, Otahuna Lodge. AA: The lodge was built more than a century ago and not long after Christchurch was founded. Who was its first resident and what are the origins …
Another Great from 1878
On a recent visit to the Cooper Hewitt’s “About Tools: Extending Our Reach” exhibition we became familiar with the Malling-Hansen Writing Ball. We learned that the Danish instrument actually received a gold medal for its invention at the 1878 World Exhibition in Paris. The machine featured a circular keyboard and typed silently. Interestingly, the …