The
National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum has long had a
special interest in calligraphy and lettering. In the nineteenth
century it collected all the standard manuals on the subject, from
those by the 'Illuminating designer,' Victor Touche, 'The Handbook of
Initial Letters' that first came out in 1863, and the works by Digby
Wyatt and W.R. Tymms on illumination, to the 'Alphabets Old and New' of
Lewis F. Day that appeared in 1898, and Edward Strange's 'Alphabets, a
Handbook of Lettering' that went into numerous editions after its
initial appearance in 1895. The Library has since collected examples of
the illumination and lettering that flourished as an essential
ingredient of Victorian decorative art, from an illuminated address of
1877 to the owner of a County Kildare spinning mill from his employees
(MSL/1984/69/2), to similar addresses in the form of volumes done by a
Liverpool 'Illuminator,' James Orr Marples in 1902 for a retiring
chairman of the American Shipping Line (MSL/1983/40), and a
presentation to a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters done in 1912
by one Sydney Davis, 'Lithographic writer, draughtsman and illuminator'
(MSL/1984/56).
The Sabanci University Sakip Sabanci Museum is a private fine arts museum in Istanbul, Turkey, dedicated to calligraphic art, religious and state documents, as well as paintings of the Ottoman era. The museum was founded by Sakip Sabanci, and was opened in June 2002. Aside from permanent exhibitions, the museum also hosts national and foreign temporary exhibitions and, hosts cultural events on the weekends. 
On 7 November 1953 the Klingspor-Museum opened its doors to visitors
the first time. During the post-war years the City of Offenbach am Main
founded a small museum for the art of modern book production and
typography. The basis of the museum was the valuable collection of
books of Dr. h.c. Karl Klingspor (1868 - 1950), who together with his
brother Wilhelm operated a typefoundry in the first half of the 20th
century in Offenbach am Main. Now visitors from all over the world come to Offenbach to see the
exhibitions and the extensive collections of the modern book and
typographical art. The library of the museum also boasts a number of
tables where the collections can be worked with.
The downland setting and rural way of life inspired artists including
Eric Gill, Edward Johnston, David Jones, and Ethel Mairet to settle in
Ditchling in the early years of the 20th Century. The international
recognition that followed, as a centre for print, calligraphy, weaving
and other crafts, is reflected in the Museum’s permanent collection,
and the programme of exhibitions and educational events.
This museum shows works dating from the end of the Edo period up until modern times. Excellent works that is too modern to be thought of as important by some and would therefore be missed, is on display.
Why is there no museum dedicated to calligraphy and small graphics – like exlibris – in Austria? This was the question graphic artist Leopold Feichtinger was concerned with after he had made sure that in his home country there was nothing comparable to such institutions in other countries. As he couldn't find any support in official places, he developed a plan to found a museum like that himself.
