Snails are usually slow, harmless visitors to our gardens—so why do they appear in medieval manuscripts as fearsome foes, dueling knights in shining armor? The answer is as curious (and charming) as the creatures themselves. Read on to discover why scribes couldn’t resist this unlikely battle…

The Art of CalligraphyRita Polidori O’BrienAugust 18, 2025Scribe New Yorkmarginalia, snails, knights, Illuminated Manuscripts, in the margins, manuscriptsComment

William Morris and The Art of Living Beautifully

Discover the botanical patterns, rich colors, and elegant lettering of William Morris — and how they’ve inspired our latest collection of notebooks.

The Art of CalligraphyRita Polidori O’BrienAugust 11, 2025Scribe New Yorkwilliam morris, notebooks, arts and crafts movement, strawberrry thief, fruit, apple, pomegranite, lloyd park, londonComment

What Kind of Handwriting Are You? SEVERANCE Edition

Season 2 of Severance has wrapped … the finale has me thinking a lot of the macro data refiners, test subjects, and Lumon operatives. Mostly I wonder what kind of handwriting each of them would be.

Featured, The Art of CalligraphyRita Polidori O’BrienMarch 22, 2025Scribe New YorkSeverance, Milchick, Cobel, Mark S, Helly R, Irv, Gemma Comments

Medieval Women Speak: A Calligrapher’s Visit to the British Library

Books, letters and manuscripts preserved from the Middle Ages allow a rare glimpse into the lives of the women who wrote them. The exhibition on display this past winter at the British Library presents first person accounts of daily life, relationships, spirituality, and more.

Featured, The Art of CalligraphyRita Polidori O’BrienMarch 8, 2025Scribe New YorkMedieval Women, Christine de Pizan, Margery Kempe, British Library, Illuminated Manuscripts, Medieval HistoryComment