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A huge thank you to all who donated in 2025; 2026 Q1 Web hosting 0 / $400; planning a move to much cheaper hosting this quarter.
Galleries: index · 
· 
![[picture: Front Cover]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/DelamotteOrnamentalAlphabets/tn/00-frontcover-q75-500x306.jpg "[picture: Front Cover]")
Scans from The Book of Ornamental Alphabets, Ancient and Mediæval collected and engraved by Freeman Gage Delamotte (1814 – 1862); London, Crosby Lockwood and Co., 1879
If anyone is interested, I’ll try and do some better scans of the alphabets and examples of calligraphy and calligraphic initials in this book.
(Note: Mediæval is the older British English spelling of Mediaeval, or Medieval).
The full title page is transcribed alongside its image. This is an oblong octavo with alphabets printed in various colours including red, green and brown.
Title: Ornamental Alphabets, Ancient and Mediæval
City: London
Date: 1879
Total items: 102
Out of copyright (called public domain in the USA), hence royalty-free for all purposes usage credit requested, or as marked.
![[picture: 53.3.---Clubs]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/DelamotteOrnamentalAlphabets/wm/big/53-Monograms,Crosses-etc.-img03-clubs-q75-186x200.jpg "[picture: 53.3.---Clubs]")
![[picture: Decorative initial letter ``T'' from 16th Century]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/DelamotteOrnamentalAlphabets/wm/big/051-16th-Century-letter-t-q85-187x200.jpg "[picture: Decorative initial letter ``T'' from 16th Century]")
Decorative initial letter “T” from 16th Century
This capital letter “T” is suitable for use as a drop cap (dropped capital) or a decorative initial; there’s also a small version for an avatar or icon. [...] [more...] [$]
![[picture: 07. 7.---11th Century and Numerals]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/DelamotteOrnamentalAlphabets/wm/big/07-11th-century-q48-346x200.jpg "[picture: 07. 7.---11th Century and Numerals]")
07. 7.—11th Century and Numerals
The odd title really means that this image is a plate made from Eleventh Century AD initial letters; the “numerals” are actually Roman numbers done as ligatures. [more...] [$]
![[picture: Decorative initial letter ``S'' from 16th Century]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/DelamotteOrnamentalAlphabets/wm/big/051-16th-Century-letter-s-q85-187x200.jpg "[picture: Decorative initial letter ``S'' from 16th Century]")
Decorative initial letter “S” from 16th Century
This capital letter “S” is suitable for use as a drop cap (dropped capital) or a decorative initial; there’s also a small version for an avatar or icon. It shows a king as a beast, and a bird-beast. [more...] [$]
![[picture: Decorative initial letter ``D'' from 16th Century]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/DelamotteOrnamentalAlphabets/wm/big/051-16th-Century-letter-d-187x200.jpg "[picture: Decorative initial letter ``D'' from 16th Century]")
Decorative initial letter “D” from 16th Century
This capital “D” is suitable for use as a drop cap (dropped capital) or a decorative initial; there’s also a small version for an avatar or icon. It is taken from a 16th century alphabet, and includes a wood-fire. [more...] [$]
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