Before the invention of the gummed envelope in the 1830s, how did people secure their private letters? The answer is letterlocking—the ingenious process of folding, slitting, and securing a letter with a strip of paper and sealing wax so that it becomes its own envelope. The practice, used by historical figures ranging from Elizabeth I and her spymaster to Japanese samurai lords, and now nearly entirely forgotten, was an everyday activity for centuries, across cultures, borders, and social classes. 

Jana Dambrogio provides a sneak peek at Letterlocking, a monograph co-authored by Dambrogio and Daniel Starza Smith, experts who have pioneered the field over the last ten years. The book tells the fascinating story of letterlocking within epistolary history, drawing on real historical examples from all over the world. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to unlock and lock letter models. 

*Please note this meeting is on the second Wednesday of the month due to the Rosh Hashanah holiday.