The State of Stationery, 1889

Last week we mentioned S.R. Gray, noted printer and stationer. He was notable, sure, but in his day (specifically, in 1889), Albany was crawling with stationers. Witness this, the start of a  rather lengthy account from a “regular correspondent” known only as “Chic,” posted November 15, 1889, to The American Stationer magazine.

I was not aware that our city did so much in the way of engraving until I began to investigate a little. I found that there are three engravers located here, R.K. Quayle, Gavit & Co., and A.C. Goodwin, who work for the stationery trade, not only in Albany and Troy but as far West as Buffalo and North as Plattsburgh.

The six leading stationers here average about 2,500 calling cards per month each, which, added to the output of the three trade engravers, make a grand total of about 33,000 cards per month printed from copper plates in Albany. This does not count the cards used by our people whose plates are with Tiffany and Dempsey & Carroll and other New York engravers. Inasmuch as Albany is an eminently social city and is filled during the winter season with visiting statesmen and officials, a large amount of invitation and reception work is done. All of the State work in the engraving line is done here, as the plates are owned by the local engravers, who get back their first cost in the subsequent orders. I am sorry to say that most of the bank and lawyers’ work is done in New York at present.

I doubt if the plate cutting or printing of either Quayle, or Gavit, or Goodwin can be excelled. It is certainly equaled by few. Mr. Quayle has just finished the diplomas for the Albany High School – a plate 17×20 inches – which is a masterpiece in its grade. A large share of college and railroad work comes to Albany, and makes a big item in itself.

Monogram and die cutting and stamping and illuminating come in for mention. One retail stationer here stamped 442 quires of note paper during September. Deep cut monograms, when monograms are used, are preferred, although the taste runs to simple address dies or cyphers and crests.

The white ink and white stamping on gray paper craze has reached us, and I have been shown some very pretty effects in this combination by Mr. Manning.