You've probably heard or seen advertizements for people who do wedding invitations - writing everything out by hand using beautiful writing (Calligraphy) from simple to quite ornate. Most of them use a style of writing - actually its more like drawing the letters - called Copperplate. With this style, the paper is angled in such a way to get the pressure and release of ink flow going in the right direction to imply shading in the drawing. In doing so, there is a tendency to smear the ink before it gets a chance to become dry. So someone came up with the idea of having the point of the nib coming into the work at a 45-55 degree angle. It allows the print & ink to stay out of the way of the still writing hand.
The English developed a "Roundhand Script." In the 1800s, a penman would draw out the script and then it would be drawn into a plate of copper for printing by the engrosser. This transfer of hand penned script to the copper plate would eventually give rise to the name Copperplate for this general style of shaded script. In the early 1900's penman would try to copy the shaded writing style found in the copperplate. Thats how it became known as "Copperplate."
Copperplate, Engrossing, Spencerian and more are all styles of Calligraphy. With Copperplate in particular, the artist needs an Oblique holder. With everything adjusted to the proper angle and degree, an adjustable oblique holder is of high value to the professional as well as the student.
