Officer Stationery

[greendome]

I originally made some inquiries over at SB about professional thank you cards and stationery and didn't get very many leads. So, in the interest of spreading the word and sharing my positive experience, I'm cross posting somewhat:

Shortly after Christmas, I began a search for a company willing to make up some custom engraved stuff with the USN officer crest. I made inquiries at Dempsey & Carroll, Crane and Smythson before finally choosing Piccolo Press of Scotland. Run by Tim Honnor, a retired Royal Navy sub commander, they provide stationery to HM embassies and armed forces as well as doing the usual wedding invitation sort of thing. Mr Honnor was very interested in doing engraving for U.S. service members and came back with the lowest price for a custom hand-engraved die (even with the pound sterling to dollar disparity).

A few days later, I received a sample kit with a wide variety of paper sizes, weights and formats. I ultimately choose the house brand of smooth cream stationery, going with 400 gsm large correspondence cards, 135 gsm 9"x7" writing paper, and matching envelopes, all engraved with gold ink. Two days later, I had PDF printer's proofs for my approval and then in less than 2 weeks, the stationery was on its way. I didn't even have to call overseas once. I received the stationery today, well packaged and securely shipped by the method I requested.

The final product is outstanding, smooth and pen friendly. The engraving itself is sharp, clear and consistent across the printing run. I couldn't be happier with the whole experience. It was also nice to deal with an retired RN sub officer who seems to like his new second career so much.

I'd highly recommend Piccolo Press for your next stationery order. I'd especially recommend it for anyone looking to have commissioning, change-of-command, retirement or advancement invitations made up.

Here is a close up of the engraving (it has my name below it, also in gold ink):

 

[lmnop]

I ultimately choose the house brand of smooth cream stationery, going with 400 gsm large correspondence cards, 135 gsm 9"x7" writing paper, and matching envelopes, all engraved with gold ink.

The final product is outstanding, smooth and pen friendly. The engraving itself is sharp, clear and consistent across the printing run.

Thanks for the heads up. However, am I the only one that immediately thought of this? :

 

[greendome]

Good reference now that you point it out. I haven't seen that flick in ages.

Perhaps that was a bit more technical info than was needed, but they beat sending a Hallmark thank you card to the British ambassador's wife for inviting you to the official holiday party.

 

[bubblehead]

Very nice.

 

[jorgelito]

How come there isn't an official stationery? Is there a protocol to go through if you have these made up?

 

[Uncle Fester]

Nice cards, but get these made up as an Ensign, and I can pretty much guarantee they'll sit in a box in a drawer for the next ten years. There's just no real need for you to have or use them. Maybe if you're ever in command of something, but that'll be a while.

 

[greendome]

Nice cards, but get these made up as an Ensign, and I can pretty much guarantee they'll sit in a box in a drawer for the next ten years. There's just no real need for you to have or use them. Maybe if you're ever in command of something, but that'll be a while.

True, though I think they'll be more useful to a junior officer than some of the other stuff they buy, like say a sword or a bridge coat...

At least you can use one card every year to send a thanks for being invited to the base CO's holiday party. If you are lucky enough to get good foreign duty or public relations collateral work, you can burn through them much faster.

 

[a2b2c3]

Trust me, we don't need them as JO's. I got conned into getting a set of them. I never used a single one of them. Never had a party or event that was hosted that needed a little card with my name on it. Its a waste of money. Maybe later it'll be useful but as a JO, its a waste of money.

This seems like a thread for advertising the one company you mentioned...

And I like my sword. It hangs on my wall and is shiny. My cards sit in my desk and get found whenever I move. They are boring.

 

[greendome]

Trust me, we don't need them as JO's. I got conned into getting a set of them. I never used a single one of them. Never had a party or event that was hosted that needed a little card with my name on it. Its a waste of money.

Oh, I never got the business cards that Naval Etiquette pushes. These are large cards ~5" x 7" that you'd send as thank you cards or short messages like congratulations on the new baby or whatnot.

I'd agree with you that the only business cards I need are the ones that the front office prints up for me.

 

[FLYTPAY]

Agree. This is something that a CO needs.....not an Ensign, JG, LT, or LCDR.

 

[Uncle Fester]

True, though I think they'll be more useful to a junior officer than some of the other stuff they buy, like say a sword or a bridge coat...

At least you can use one card every year to send a thanks for being invited to the base CO's holiday party. If you are lucky enough to get good foreign duty or public relations collateral work, you can burn through them much faster.

I've worn my sword at several weddings (including my own), and loaned it out to others for many more, plus a few DHs who needed it for CoCs and retirements but were too cheap/lazy to get their "required" sword just yet.

I wore both my reefer and o-coat out in the Fleet, standing duty on cold days and to SDB-wearing events in Norfolk in wintertime.

I've never ever wished for or needed officer stationary. Never been invited to the base CO's holiday party (in fact, as a rule of thumb - as a JO, no one above O-5 should even know who the fuck you are). The "foreign duty" or "public relations work" you might be assigned to as a JO would not require these, either.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're not just here to shill for the company that makes these (though you haven't filled out any Bio information, and have only posted on this thread, so...). They look like a nice product, and I could see where a skipper or whatever might make use of them. But don't go giving the Enswines around here that they need to spend money on stationary at this point in their lives. Enswines should save their money for adult beverages, fast automobiles, seducing wommens and shiny new Brown Shoes. By the time you actually need official stationary - you'll know it.

 

[Elegant Emily]

er... just visited that site and clicked around for a while and found no mention of price at all. I'm guessing they're super-expensive though.

I make officer's crest stationery but it's no where near "official" and certainly not gilded. Instead it's casual and fun and dispensable. It does fine for the odd thank you note, welcome to the neighborhood notes, or congrats on the baby notes. heh. If you're a remotely polite person you'll always have use for stationery but if you paid $5 per card you're going to guard it and hoard it and never actually use it (resulting in the "finding it when I'm moving" affliction).

Gotta say too... love the swords. We need to find somewhere/some way to display it because it's so pretty.

 

[HAL Pilot]

My daughter used my sword last Halloween when she went to a party as a pirate. She won best costume too.

 

[usmarinemike]

heh. If you're a remotely polite person you'll always have use for stationery

There's the problem. I like everybody on here for the most part, but I'm not going to hold my breath when I open my mail box after my baby is born thinking that maybe Otto or Master sent my wife and I a congratulatory card.


Although a congratulatory 6-pack would be nice.


And who in the Navy carries that crazy looking stabbing instrument with the giant handguard? I want one of those.

 

[FENIAN]

I understand the push for product, but I think you have the wrong audience. You should probably target my wife since she is the sole proprietor of "shit I don't need." I could see coming out with cards to give to your friends coming back from deployment that say, "Thanks for not dying, now I still have to put up with your shit." I know MY buddies would laugh and then punch me in the face. It's the laugh that counts.