Author Topic: Letterhead  (Read 9565 times)

Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Letterhead
« on: November 11, 2016, 06:38:03 PM »
For the past couple of years, I've been toying with the idea of making some historical looking letterhead.  I don't send tons of paper letters, but I though that it would be fun to have something that looked authentic and had a historical connection, like the Longbranch Saloon, the Drover's Cottage, maybe the Crystal Palace or some sheriff's office.  When I was in Tombstone last spring, I took some pictures of a letter on display to try and copy the letterhead.  I'm having trouble finding fonts in Word that look just right, although I have some that would pass for old.  I played around on the computer for a while this morning to see how I could do.  I'm trying to attach two initial examples, but they use a special font.  I suspect that when others open the files, it will show with regular fonts.  The font I used looks similar to, but not just like the one in the photo.  If I need to, I could take a screen shot of my documents to show how they would look.  I should say that I've never tried to attach Word documents here before.  We'll see if it works.

Has anyone else tried to make letterhead like this?  It would be easy to share them around if anyone else is interested.

CC Griff
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Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2016, 07:15:16 PM »
I was right.  When I opened the attached Word documents on another device, they just had an "ordinary" font.  You'll have to use your imagination. Maybe I'll attach a screen shot later.

CC Griff
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Offline Mogorilla

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2016, 09:43:52 AM »
Hey CCG,
Google how to imbed a font in a word doc.  I know you could with older versions as I sent one out with Anglo Saxon runes to a friend.  If it is embedded, all users get it


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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #3 on: Today at 09:02:27 PM »

Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2016, 03:11:19 PM »
OK.  I tried embedding the fonts.  Let's see if this works.  Again, I didn't spend a lot of time at this.  I'm sure that there could be a vast improvement.

Again, has anyone tried making letterhead?  Others have done so well with ammo box and bottle labels, I thought that someone would be way ahead of me here.

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Offline Russ T Chambers

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2016, 11:21:26 AM »
Griff

I have created the letter head for our cowboy group as well as award certificates for our annual shoots.  I’ll see if I can attach some of them.  I’m a font nut and have over 1000 in my font file.

I would start by doing a web search for “old cowboy fonts” or some such search criterial, and select those that tickle your facy.  Download them and add them to your font file.

Using Word and some of its more exotic parts like Word Art and such play with our ideas until you get something you like.

Then select all of it and paste it into a jpg file.  This can then be sized and passed into whatever media you wish.
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Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2016, 03:22:45 PM »
Thanks.  I have some old west fonts that I got some time ago, but none that perfectly matched the sample from Tombstone.  I'm not looking for a perfect match necessarily, but it would have a more authentic look.

I don't think my attempt to embed the fonts on my quick examples came through, so I'm attaching a couple of screen shots.

Anyway, it was just an idea swimming around in my head (there's a lot of empty room for swimming there) and I thought it might be fun.  I'd like to see any examples that you have, Russ...

CC Griff
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Offline Russ T Chambers

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2016, 07:11:25 PM »
Griff

Tried a different font than yours, and did a little word art to get the curve, but here is a possible letter head.

Also I attached a copy of one of the award certificates I cobbled together from some certificate frames, my own Word text (with some text art) and an additional print to add the place and class.

I'm heading out of town for the Holidays soon, but if you have any questions let me know.  I just won't have access to my desktop for a while.  I'd suggest just browsing around the old western font sites until you find one that suits you, and go from there.

I'm attaching the stuff I used to create my version of your letter head.
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Offline Russ T Chambers

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2016, 07:18:37 PM »
The certificate didn't want to attach, so I'll try it by its self.  If it doesn't work I'll try something else.   Too large, I'll play with it.
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Offline Gun Creek Phil

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2016, 11:10:40 AM »
Hello !

It is quite funny.
One year ago ,i 've tried to create a warrant of arrest, with fonts as close as possible from an original ( shown in the book "Gunfighters"from Joseph G Rosa). I have to look in my papers, and will share this document if you like. ;D
Gun Creek Phil
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Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2016, 11:47:50 AM »
Yes!  I'd love to see what you came up with.

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Offline Calico Kirby

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #10 on: December 06, 2016, 02:03:23 PM »
I can reproduce that for you.  Shoot me your email address and I'll send you a PDF.

wajohnson12@gmail.com
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Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2016, 03:45:55 PM »
Thanks!  I sent an email.

CC Griff
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Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2016, 05:36:37 PM »
Attached is what Calico Kirby came up with for me.  Note that this version has a reduced quality due to file size limitations on CAS City.  The version that he emailed to me looks better, but was too large to attach.  I think it looks pretty good!

CC Griff
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Offline Ben Beam

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2017, 04:16:23 PM »
I have an extensive collection of old letters from this time period. I would be happy to scan some in and share it so you can see what it looked like, might give some ideas.
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Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2017, 04:49:44 PM »
OldSchoolBoy:

I'm always interested in old things, such as letterhead, as I'm sure others here are.  Don't put too much time and effort into the project (I already have some great ideas), but I'd love to see some of your more interesting or unique items.

Welcome! There are a bunch of us here who haven't completely grown up!

CC Griff
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Offline Ben Beam

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #15 on: March 02, 2017, 09:06:19 AM »
After looking through it, most of the letters I have that are on printed letterhead date to the early 1900s. The ones from the mid to late 1800s are handwritten with the date and location. But there are a few, which I'll pull out. I did come across a receipt from Colt firearms (!) dating to 1887. It may take me a while to get the high-res versions up as my scanner has died, but I need to get another one anyway.

Here's a quick phone snap of the Colt receipt, but I'll get a high-res one along with the others, and make it available for people to download.

https://imgur.com/a/0CFRS
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Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #16 on: March 02, 2017, 09:39:14 AM »
That is a very cool letter.  Yes, I'd love to have a high resolution copy when you have time.  Thanks!

CC Griff
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Offline Tsalagidave

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #17 on: March 02, 2017, 03:39:49 PM »
Coal Creek,

I think you have a fantastic idea there.  People often overlook the fact that adult literacy in the US (as of the 1850 census) was around 97%.  This fact has often been obscured due primarily to the lackadaisical efforts of 20th century screen writers  and authors.  In a time when photo identification was largely unknown, writing "in one's own hand" was the next best thing in authenticating someone's identity.  Having the proper ephemera on your person is one of those little details that makes doing an impression more convincing and more fun.  Great topic.

-Dave
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Offline Coal Creek Griff

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #18 on: March 02, 2017, 06:41:44 PM »
Those are cool examples, Dave.  Thanks!

CC Griff
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Offline Ben Beam

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Re: Letterhead
« Reply #19 on: March 04, 2017, 03:34:06 PM »
I have scanned in a few documents that I have that are pre 1900. I have hundreds of additional documents, but I thought I'd give you something to whet your appetite. They are scanned in as high-res PDFs. Feel free to do with them as you like (just don't use them for commercial profit, please).

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/b0lsebyqr1fv57p/AAAm3QS-UdPfSGjPuC-VECdla?dl=0

Maybe a historian can help determine what that signature is on the Colt Firearms letter?

Edit: One of them is from 1902, but I thought the letterhead was a good example. :)
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