Norman Jones' 1909 Penmanship Practice Notebook old saltillo social-climbing (and rolling-pin wielding) wife

social-climbing (and rolling-pin wielding) wife Maggie

This spectacular Japanese hand-painted ceramic hanging planter

plus these little balls extending on wire from her arms and base

and unsigned as far as I can tell

gorgeously hand-painted little porcelain man rising from this curious round

Norman Jones' 1909 Penmanship Practice Notebook old saltillo social-climbing (and rolling-pin wielding) wifeI've become pretty fascinated by these penmanship practice notebooks, not just because I love seeing the handwriting, but also for the choice of phrases, which speaks lot to the times they were done, and served as a way of imparting moral values and instilling good behavior. Here, I especially love the phrase "exercise with caution," which I'd think would say "exercise caution" but instead seems to be warning against injuring ones self (!), and also