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Flowers in Heraldry

Thanks to Jim Rainer, Alcuin Society, Vancouver, BC for this detailed information!

Flowers in Heraldry is a combination of the skills of botanical painting and calligraphy. It consists of 24 beautifully coloured pages, and bears the following inscription:

"Begun in the hamlet of Mugswell in the County of Surrey in January 1971 and completed in the village of Lower Kingswood in June 1974. Vera Ibbett, Scripsit."

The work was exhibited at the Scriveners' 6600 Exhibition, London, in 1974. It was then shown in the British Broadcasting Corporations's Thames Television Series "The Craftsman", in various places throughout Great Britain, and ultimately at an exhibition in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Alcuin Society was extremely fortunate in obtaining first reproduction rights to this masterpiece and published it in 1977. The unnumbered paper bound copies and the loose sheets suitable for framing or binding are available for sale.

Vera Ibbett, calligrapher & artist

Flowers in Heraldry was compiled, designed, written, illustrated and calligraphed by Vera Ibbett between 1971 and 1974. She started her working life at the age of 14 in a photographic studio whence she progressed to five of London's fashionable photographers as a retouching artist.

A natural progression into commercial art resulted in her studying at the London college of Printing. Subsequently she studied figure drawing and portrait painting under Innes Frip, R. A. at the City and Guilds School of Art, Kensington, and in 1957 began brush lettering under the tuition of William Sharpington (1900 - 1973), one of the great proponents of brush lettering in the style of Trajan's column, for which she won five awards at the school.

To perfect her lettering she attended the Reigate School of Art where, with the help of Anthony Wood, she was coached in calligraphy, winning the annual lay members' prize of the Society of Scribes & Illuminators and was elected to the professional status of Craft Member of that Society, "Flowers in Heraldry" being her submission piece.

From 1975 to 1986, Vera taught a wide range of subjects at the Reigate School of Art - general letter forms, graphic design, and calligraphy. For the remainder of her life she tackled a head-spinning variety of commissions. To name but a few: the R. A. F.'s hand-lettered Roll of Honour in the chapel at Biggin Hill; the Loyal Address for the Queen's Silver Wedding Anniversary; banquet menus for three lord mayors of London; landscape water colours exhibited in London and later toured the country.

Flowers in Heraldry, each
Un-numbered copies available bound (paperback with green cover),
and unbound (for the bookbinders who want to do it themselves! or for framing).
30pp + colophon
Pages measures approx. 13.5" x 10.25"

$27.50 USD

Please choose

Bound Un-Bound