Giulio, Giannini & Figlio of Firenze, (Florence) Italy


A 1914 billhead from Italian papermakers and booksellers Giulio, Giannini & Figlio of Firenze (Florence). This firm was established in 1856 and is still in business today, known primarily for their paper (www.giuliogiannini.it).

Some interesting things to note on this old billhead: First, the red initial letters of the names in the title give it an appearance reminiscent of a medieval illuminated manuscript. Second, the order, or invoice is all in English. I assume this is so because the customer appears to be English or American. I also like the bookplate depiction in the upper left corner with the lamb and the books on the ground. There is a Latin phrase across a banner that reads: Usque dum vivam et ultra. Also noteworthy is the long list of items purchased--two pages worth totaling $168 (amount given in dollars). Most billheads I see include only one or two items on the invoice.


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