Brief aan Frans Buffa en Zonen Possibly 1874

This letter to Frans Buffa en Zonen was penned by William Unger, but the date of its making remains unknown. The material reality of this object—paper, ink, script— speaks volumes. Consider the hand that carefully formed each letter, the weight and texture of the paper chosen for correspondence. The very act of writing, before the age of typewriters and email, was a skilled and laborious craft. Penmanship was highly valued; it conveyed social standing and education, and signaled the writer's attention to detail. Notice, too, the formal language, the careful construction of sentences. This wasn't just about conveying information; it was about projecting an image of sophistication and professionalism. In a world increasingly dominated by mass production and digital communication, this letter stands as a reminder of a time when even the most mundane interactions were imbued with the care and attention of a skilled hand. It challenges us to think about the labor and social context embedded in everyday objects.