Alphabet: Story of Writing: Part III: Penman, Printer, & Engraver

The third in a series of four films in which Donald Jackson traces the story of writing from the earliest civilizations to the present day. It was the beginning of the 14th century that saw the flowering of the art of the handwritten book and Jackson demonstrates how a scribe went about correcting his errors. He then illustrates the development of Gothic lettering and compares this with the more elegant Italic script. The demand for books and writing increased, but the invention of printing broke the monopoly of the scribe. Movable type changed his role to that of writing master and even his individual style could be copied when copperplate engraving became an established craft. At school pupils were still taught perfect handwriting, but the ancient quill pen was eventually replaced by the steel nib. (WorldCat synopsis)