Madarasz Folio
Assembled by M. A. Albin
This folio contains samples of different kinds of pen work from the pen of L. Madarasz. The items include correspondence from Madarasz to Albin pertaining to a series of papers written to Harshbarger and others that Albin had come into possession of. This folio and a small scrapbook were provided to Zaner-Bloser Co. with the intent to sell some time prior to November 1928.
It appears the collection went unsold, or in some other manner found its way home to Mr. Albin, whose great-granddaughter sold it in February 2026 to a private American collector, with David Grimes brokering the deal and securing the rights to publish these images.
Editor’s Note:
In the letter dated July 17th, 1903 (pages 5, 6, 7 in the PDF) referring to the papers originally written for Harshbarger, Madarasz tells Albin “I would rather you’d not publish them.” While arranging this document, I gave serious consideration to honoring this wish. After consulting with colleagues, I came to the conclusion that this would be to the detriment of all current and future penmen. I believe that, if given the chance to see how his legacy has continued on after his death and the positive influence he has had on generations of penmen, Madarasz would approve of this release.
Terms of Responsibility
While this folio is within the public domain, it is the product of a lifetime of study dedicated to the various styles of penwork presented. It is our privilege to have such samples to study, and the materials within should be used respectfully.
Further Reading
