Oh No! You Bruised My Stationery!

Now now, no need to panic. Actually, I was in somewhat of a panic this morning. I couldn't find my box of engraved stationery. I'm notorious for losing stuff in a relatively small space, so this was no great surprise. After about 10 minutes, I came across that signature dark blue box and breathed a sign of relief. The relief was to be short-lived, however. I'm a stationery geek, so every time I look at a piece of stationery, I turn it over to see if it's been engraved. This box of stationery had no bruise. It had been thermographed.

After a few more panic-filled moments, I located my bruised and beautiful stationery and set off to write some thank-yous.

Bruised and beautiful? How can that be, you ask?

The bruising that appears on the back of a piece of stationery is the signature of fine engraving. It tells you that the engraver has etched the design deep into a copper plate to impart all the fine-line detail you expect. It tells you that the engraver has pressed the paper deep into the etched cavity to create a raised impression on the surface of the paper. It tells you that the engraver has taken personal pride in printing each piece of your stationery by hand.

So, the old sarcastic question goes: Whaddaya want, an engraved invitation?

Actually, now that you mention it? Yes.