(*See bottom of page for the Lilly
Oblique penholder)
Master Penman
Bill Lilly
William A. (Bill) Lilly was born in Marion Kentucky in 1927. Bill
displayed an interest in and appreciation of art as a boy. His interest developed
into a talent that was encouraged by his parents and enjoyed by his family and
friends. During these early years, Penmanship was an integral part of the
school curriculum in America and Bill's abilities with a pen showed early
promise that grew with time. In the late 40's, while Bill was attending Western
Kentucky State Teachers College, Professor of Penmanship G.G. Craig became
impressed with his student's abilities and advised him to refine his skills by
attending the Zanerian College of Penmanship in Columbus, Ohio. The Zanerian
was considered the foremost American school of penmanship and engrossing at
that time. Bill took Professor Craig's advice and enrolled. There his natural
talent was enhanced by the expert teaching of the master penmen at the college,
E.A. Lupfer and Palmer Bloser, while he was exposed to all aspects of the
engrossing art, from broad pen lettering in Old English and German Text styles
to the more demanding Engrosser's script. This last he especially loved and it
became his primary interest. Mastering the beautiful 400-year-old script, with
its disciplined contrast of fine hairlines and shades, its elegant simple and
compound curves and its graceful flow, required long hours of concentrated
study and practice. Bill's study at the Zanerian was rewarded in two ways:
during his last six months there he was employed by the commercial arm of the
Zaner-Bloser enterprise as a professional writer of script and then earned a
coveted Gold Seal Certificate of Merit, the top award given by the college (see
certificate below).
Bill Lilly’s Gold Seal Zanerian
Certificate
The Lilly Oblique penholder:
You can email Mr. Lilly at: swlilly@aol.com
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