Good Form in Letter Writing

Holyoke, Massachusetts: Whiting Paper Company, 1909. Water staining. Minor toning, dust soiling. A couple short tears to wrappers. Minor rust stains from staples.. A brief guide to letter writing etiquette and "the correct usage of fine stationary", advertising products sold by the Whiting Paper Company. It wastes no time establishing tone, and instruct the reader right away that "Papers of brilliant colors are not in good form. Bright reds, blues, yellows, etc., serve a purpose as window decorations but are not desirable for personal use" (p. [3]). It goes on to describe which colors, paper sizes, and qualities are preferable for different uses, in great detail; conventions for everything from visiting cards to monograms, regrets, and mourning cards. Of particular interest is a section instructing the reader how to address the President, the Governor, a Generals, or a Bishop (pp. 14-16), each with its own requirements and conventions. Includes exemplars of well-wrought invitations, replies, etc. 12mo (8.25" by 5.75"), pp. 32 printed in black and green, with chromolithographed frontispiece pasted to inside of upper wrapper, stapled in original illustrated green wrappers printed in black, green, and gold with inner dentelles. Bookseller stick of Fitzgerald Books (Holyoke, Mass.) to title-page.