Spencerian

Spencerian, or Spencerian script, is a system of cursive handwriting developed by Platt Rogers Spencer in the United States during the mid-19th century. It became the standard method for teaching handwriting in American schools and for business correspondence for several decades, before newer approaches supplanted it.

The system emerged from a series of copybooks and instructional manuals published in the 1830s and 1840s and was refined by practitioners through the late 19th century. Spencerian emphasizes elegant, flowing letterforms with a consistent rightward slant, smooth continuous strokes, and careful balance between thin and thick lines achieved with a flexible pointed nib and ink.

Characteristics of Spencerian include rounded letters, deliberate spacing, and ornamental elements such as loops in ascenders and descenders. Proponents stressed legibility alongside aesthetic flourish, and mastery typically required extensive practice with drills and copywork to develop control over pen pressure and motion.

In practice, Spencerian was the dominant handwriting style for business documents, ledgers, and formal letters in the United States during its peak. Its prominence waned in the early 20th century with the rise of the Palmer Method and other systems, but it continued to be taught and valued as a decorative and historical script.

Today, Spencerian survives as a subject of study for calligraphy enthusiasts and as a historical influence on modern script styles. It has contributed to the lineage of ornamental penmanship and informs contemporary approaches to cursive and copperplate-inspired lettering.