argin
of about an inch.

A heavy or medium grade of white bristol board is used for invitations
to "At Homes," dinner, receptions, dances, and all like social
functions for which the common visiting card is not used. The size
used varies with the number of words in the invitation, and may be
quite large, as for a club or society reception, or formal openings or
special occasions where a business corporation is the host. These
cards have the same plate margin as the wedding invitation, although
it is much narrower. Only the most formal invitations have space left
for the writing in of the name of the guest.

The billet, however, has certain advantages, especially where the
occasion is very formal and select, and the information which should
be furnished the guest is considerable. Elegance of this sort is now
very costly.

Several styles of type are in use: namely, the script having close
round letters, and being as nearly black as Roman or Old English when
engraved; a script lighter and more cursive; an Old English lettering;
a shaded Roman letter, which is constantly growing in popularity;
shaded Caxton; solid and shaded French script; and a plain Roman block
letter.

The script is the type most commonly used, both because of its beauty
and legibility, and because of the comparative inexpensiveness of
engraving, the cost being about half of that of either the Old English
or the shaded Roman type.

It is obvious that the size of page in this book will not permit
facsimile reproductions of specimens of invitations and other social
forms, which in nearly every case require a different proportion of
space than the page offers. Therefore, to reproduce the style of
lettering used for these forms has not been attempted. The examples
present correct wording and proportionate arrangement.

The following plates, which are exact photographs of steel and copper
engraving, present several styles of script, Old English, and shaded
and plain Roman faces, but do not represent more than a few sizes, and
those the most common.

[Illustration: Type styles and sizes for invitations]

_at the Church of the Messiah_

_Two Dancing Parties_

_request the pleasure of_

_At Home_ _At Home_

=announce the marriage of=

=BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS=

=First Unitarian Church=

=request the honour of your presence=

_=Mr. an