In the posts listed below, you will find links to the writing copybooks and penmanship manuals that are available online. You will be able to download most but not all of them, and some may not be complete. Whenever I could, I added a comment on the styles represented in the book as well as some useful information.

I tried to be as exhaustive as I could, but I am sure that some references are missing… As a “pointed pen” person, I probably overlooked books focused on more traditional styles (German books are especially misrepresented here). So please let me know if you’d like me to add or correct anything in these lists.

If you want to know more about copybooks in general, Paul Antonio shared his knowledge about them in this video.

16th century : the rise of the writing master

17th century : the rationalization of writing styles.

18th century : the end of Calligraphy ?

19th – 20th centuries in Europe

19th-20th century penmanship in the USA

Two smaller bibliographies To help you study the Round Hand and the Italian hand

10 copybooks to study when you’re learning the Italian Hand

The Italian hand is the oldest of what we call the “pointed pen styles”. If you’ve seen it, maybe in one of Heather Victoria Held’s beautiful compositions, you’ve probably found it a little strange but full of charms. Did you know that it originated in Italy around the 1560’s, back when they didn’t have any […]

The 10 copybooks you need to know about if you study Copperplate / English Round Hand

You know I spend a lot of time looking at old copybooks, I love to study these old models and I’d love to help you get better acquainted with old Writing Masters and their works. But because there are so many options in the bibliography section, I thought it would be nice to narrow it […]