Grandad's Calligraphy And Art Desk

My husband’s grandad Charles was a skilled calligrapher and watercolour artist. His work included cartography, heraldry, graphic design, calligraphy, and watercolour paintings. 

Hand drawn map of Chester with decorative calligraphy next to a watercolour rendition of the Spir family crest
Artwork of Charles Spir

His art desk held a collection of nib pens, inks, measurement tools, and water colour paints which had been sitting unused for almost five years. It was time for the desk to get a new home, and I was happy to accept it into mine.

I’m looking forward to exploring all these new tools (and admittedly, I am almost more excited about examining the old labels and tins that the tools came in). Here’s some photos of the beautiful things I get to play with now. I only hope that I can learn to use them as skillfully as grandad Charles.

Drawer full of calligraphy and art supplies including pens, nibs, rulers, and scissors
Drawer of Calligraphy supplies
Drawer full of calligraphy and art supplies including pencil crayons, electric eraser, brush, and border tape
Drawer of art supplies
Small bottles of calligraphy ink in blue, red, yellow, and green
Calligraphy ink
A faber Castell electric eraser with refill package
Electric Eraser
Vintage tins including a Pelikan watercolours tin, a Helix mathematical instruments tin, and a Harrods tin.
Vintage Tins
A hand made chart of border tapes next to a point size ruler for graphic design layouts
Border and point size charts
Packaging for a Paragon steelspring bow pencil and drawing compass parts below it
Box of drawing compass parts