A Calligraphy Gift Guide for the 2024 Holidays

👋🏼 Is there a calligrapher in your life?

This is a calligraphy gift guide for buying a well-researched gift that the scribe in your life will love. I understand that buying special interest gifts can be really difficult—no matter how well intentioned. Calligraphers, like many artists, tend to buy the exact materials and tools that they want for very specific reasons, making gift-giving a tricky task!

This guide aims to provide a handful of general ideas and some direction for each gift. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out for a more personalized recommendation.

1.) A handmade pen holder

There are a handful of really talented penmakers today that are spinning wood into wonderful little sticks for calligraphers to write with. I recommend Christopher Yoke’s pen holders because I’ve had the opportunity to see lots of his holders in person. The craftsmanship is stellar, and Chris stands behind each article in a way that all makers should.

As always, I recommend buying holders that can be adjusted for fine writing. Steer clear of flanges like the Bullock in favor of a simple fold-over flange that can be adjusted (bent) with your fingers. Bonus points if the flange can be removed for cleaning and replacement without damaging the pen. See my Oblique Pen Holder Set-up and Adjustment post for a full tutorial on flange creation and setup.

For new calligraphers, a simpler design is best—something medium thickness and length and without a bunch of flashy ornaments or too thin of a tail. Of course, if your calligrapher already has some pens that they like, it could help to sneak a peek at those to get some ideas of woods, finishes, and sizes that might be appropriate.

2.) A leather writing pad

Leather writing pads are essentially placemats that calligraphers put underneath what they are writing on. They’re a nice thing to have when the surface of the desk has a bit of texture to it and they add a little pizzazz to a regular writing spot. Many people also report feeling a desirable “bounce” to the tactile experience of writing on a leather pad. If you notice that your calligrapher is writing on a page stacked on top of other sheets, they might be chasing that same feeling. Assuming they’re not vegan, this might be a great gift!

You can get a leather pad customized with a foiled or burned name by Michael Ward (Check with him to make sure that you can receive in time for gifting), grab a plain one on my Etsy shop, or head down to your local leather supply store and pick up a piece of 2.5-3.5 oz upholstery leather to cut down yourself.

3.) A vintage inkwell

I am such a sucker for vintage inkwells. This is a gift idea that takes a bit of effort, so you get bonus points if you go this route. You can always find vintage inkwells on eBay, but you can also find them in local thrift stores and antique malls, too! I’m of the opinion that there are few things more fun than hunting inkwells while rambling around town.

When it comes to what makes a good inkwell, I’d recommend trying to stick with things that can hold fluid. You might be chuckling to yourself, but when you are out shopping you’ll often find “inkwells” that are missing their “inserts.” If you come across a fancy looking metal thing that is labeled as an “inkwell” and lift up the lid to see the table underneath, skip it. Those big statement desk pieces are a bit gaudy for most people’s tastes, anyway.

A fun inkwell wrapping idea: An inkwell is just a container, at the end of the day. When you wrap yours up to stick under the tree, try sticking some of your calligrapher’s favorite candies or pens inside of it! It might not seem like much, but the added bonus will definitely put a smile on their face.

4.) A gross of pen points (nibs)

The truth is that most calligraphers use their pen points (nibs) for WAY too long before throwing them out. Historically speaking, a box wasn’t very expensive, and the great penmen of the past probably didn’t try to “stretch” their pens quite as far as we do today.

A sealed box of pens is called a “gross,” and contains 144 pens. You can often find sealed vintage grosses on eBay, but there are fewer things more personal than a calligrapher’s favorite pen. If you aren’t 100% sure on the model, this isn’t the right route to go.

I suggest checking their favorite pen holder. There’s a good chance that their favorite pen is either currently in the flange/ferrule or somewhere nearby. Find whatever pen they are using most often and gift them a couple dozen so they don’t have to stretch their materials. You’ll be saving them a lot of frustration and dramatically improving their quality of life!

Most sites sell pens by the piece these days, but theoretically you could pick up 144 and make your own gross in a little ring box or something of that size. You can find plenty of quality pens/nibs alongside reviews on Paper and Ink Arts.

5.) A calligraphy book (or several)

A calligrapher’s library is as important as the tools that they practice with. Adding a great book to your calligrapher’s shelf is sure to come off as a thoughtful gift, but the tricky part is knowing which book to buy! Most of my favorite books are from about a hundred years ago and they can be hard to find. I have a full list of American Penmanship titles here that you might have a chance at finding on sites like eBay.

Some of my favorite contemporary/more easily found books are:

• Historical Scripts by Stan Knight
• Shady Characters by Keith Houston
• An Elegant Hand by William Henning
• Foundations of Calligraphy by Sheila Waters
• Ornate Pictorial Calligraphy by E. A. Lupfer
• The Speedball Textbook, 25th Edition by Speedball

6.) A watercolor set

The art of Engrossing relies heavily on the discipline of watercolor painting, so a great set of brushes and a nice palette would make a wonderful gift for the budding engrosser. I prefer to use natural sable hair brushes for my own engrossing work. Over the years, I’ve turned reliably towards my W&N Series 7 brushes in the 1, 0, and 000 sizes. These small brushes, if cared for, are incredibly precise when painting the small details of letters, backgrounds, borders, or anything else one might want to add to their lettering.

The vintage ceramic palette above was made in Japan. The weight of it ensures that it’s not easily jostled while painting. By my estimation, it is quite similar to this model.

7.) Unique inks and writing fluids

Inks and writing fluids are one of the cornerstones of a calligrapher’s toolkit. Calligraphy inks are specially formulated mixtures that allow for the ink to cling to the pen (to resist gravity) without being so viscous that it can’t find its way down to the paper. Inkmakers like Serge from Fox and Quills know just what it takes to make a stellar ink, and I highly recommend a few bottles of his small batch inks to fill out your gift profile. My favorite picks are the Iron Throne iron gall and the Aubergine Dye-based ink. Neither of these inks are “archival” quality, so they can’t be used for permanent work.

For solid black ink that can be used for professional work, I always recommend this green-capped “Moon Palace” sumi, which comes in liquid form. Alternatively, ink sticks and stones to grind them on can be found on Yasutomo’s website. Stick ink is prized for its texture, but it is more work to use!

If you’re building a little collection of inks to gift as a set, I’d highly recommend including a high-quality dropper, some W&N liquid gum arabic, and maybe even a vintage Speedball ink bottle (Shown in blue on the right, above. I just think they are the coolest shape.)

8.) An ink eraser knife

Has your calligrapher ever expressed disdain or frustration about making a mistake on one of their projects? Well, the ink eraser knife is the answer to these troubles—on thick enough paper, anyway! An ink eraser knife allows a calligrapher to get very flat to the paper and shave off errors with delicate precision. The uniquely flat profile allows the blade to be held at a very low angle, and the spade-shaped blade is capable of being articulated into nooks and crannies or along the edges of smooth curves.

This is a product that you’ll certainly want to buy vintage. Searching on eBay is a great option, and you can often find ink erasers that are stamped with their manufacturer and country of origin. With proper care and sharpening, this little knife will be a permanent addition to any calligrapher’s toolkit.

Pro tip: Your ink eraser knife probably won’t come with a sheath, so include a cork pedestal as seen above. This keeps the blade safely tucked away when not in use and allows the handle to stand freely next to a pencil cup or on a windowsill behind the writing desk.

9.) A rotary sharpener and lead holder

A lead holder is a little metal device that holds refillable leads for drawing, drafting, lining up calligraphy projects, etc. I prefer 2mm holders like this Koh-I-Noor 5201, but there are many lead holders available to choose from. You might even have a bit of fun hunting down a vintage article like the “Dietzgen 3162” shown in the image above (my daily carry). My preference is to load my holder with 2mm HB leads. HB is middle of the road as far as softness goes, and I find that it’s ideal for drawing light, crisp guidelines and holding a point.

The rotary sharpener allows the point of your lead to be evenly ground down on the inside of the barrel, and it doubles as a tool stand. The one photographed above is cast iron and was gifted to me by my father. There are lots of good vintage brands to be found on eBay. Try searching for Keuffel & Esser’s Tru-point or Boston. This tool is a great addition to a calligrapher’s toolkit because it replaces the need to sharpen wooden pencils and allows for very efficient regular sharpening.

10.) Private calligraphy lessons

When all else fails, give knowledge, right? Many calligraphers will already have the tools, books, and materials that they are likely to use in their practice or are just so new to the study of calligraphy that they’re not sure where to get started. Gifting a booking of private lessons from an experienced instructor can be an amazing, life-changing gift, if done right.

I’ll get it out of the way that I do offer private lessons in a few different styles of calligraphy, but there are LOTS of great calligraphers out there who would be willing to take on a private student for a few sessions and get them pointed in the right direction. One such calligrapher that comes to mind is Heather Victoria Held, who teaches all of her online workshop topics in the form of private lessons when requested.

My suggestion would be to ask your gift recipient who their favorite calligrapher is and see if you can track down some contact info and try to work it out. Again, this might be a bit more involved than just checking out online and having an item shipped to your doorstep, but the most thoughtful gifts often are!

11.) A visit to a penmanship collection

Getting out of the studio and away from the desk is something that a lot of people don’t consider when it comes to what they need to take the next step in their calligraphy practice. An inspiring trip is likely to have a longer-lasting effect on someone’s calligraphy experience than any item, gadget, or material.

This one might be on the more expensive/impractical end of things—depending on where you live. That said, there are a handful of wonderful penmanship collections sprinkled around the world that would serve as endless inspiration to the calligrapher in your life. These collections offer the opportunity to view historic work from penmen of the past and absorb the wonder that can only come from within arm’s reach.

The general etiquette is to call or email ahead and request an appointment to view the collection. This allows the staff to prepare for your visit and tell you about any rules that you might be required to abide by while in their facility. For example, many collections do not allow flash photography or food and water in the viewing rooms.

Some wonderful collections that you can visit in the United States:

• The New York Public Library (New York, NY)
• The University of Scranton (Scranton, PA)
• The Newberry Library (Chicago, IL)
• Letterform Archive (San Francisco, CA)

12.) A Masgrimes Lining Triangle

You’ve made it to my last gift suggestion and a shameless plug! The Masgrimes lining Triangle is a little lining tool that I designed several years ago to help me quickly and consistently draw pencil guidelines for my calligraphy projects. It’s based on a historic design with a couple of my own twists, made here in the United States and carried by my wonderful friends at Speedball Art Products.

One amazing thing about the MLT is that we were able to keep the price under $10, making this a truly accessible tool to most people. My podcast co-host recently characterized it as “the kind of tool that you just keep buying and sticking places until there’s always one within arm’s reach.” That seems a bit excessive to me, but they make great stocking stuffers, and you can absolutely grab one for yourself and a couple of your calligrafriends to show them how much they mean to you!

You can purchase one directly from Speedball here »

Use the code MASGRIMES to get free shipping on your order in the US and Canada. 🙂

Wrapping up 🎁

Remember that buying a specialty item for someone with a niche interest like calligraphy can be a tricky move, but if you can pull it off, it will show how determinedly thoughtful you are to your calligrapher. A good rule of thumb is to observe, listen, and (within the bounds of respecting their privacy) snoop a bit at their workspace to get some idea of if your gift idea might be a good fit for the work they are currently doing or dreaming of doing someday.

One final note: Some of the items in this guide can be purchased new, while others are no longer in production. When it comes to secondhand items, I like to imagine the stories they’ve been a part of and the people who cherished them. As we enter into the gift-giving season, please consider shopping secondhand for at least a few of your items this year. In many cases, these purchases go to support local pickers, collectors, curators, small businesses, the curious, and all of us who value the resources of our natural world.

Thanks for checking out this year’s Ultimate Calligraphy Gift Guide! I hope you have at least a few ideas to make this holiday season special for the calligrapher in your life!