Monograms, once indicators of social or commercial exclusiveness, are now symbols of creativity, testaments to the idea that everyone deserves to individualize his or her own things. The remarkable Encyclopedia of Monograms—filled with over 11,000 handsomely engraved initials, ciphers, crests, insignias, emblems, badges, and shields—is a resource of fantastic scope that will be useful to anyone working in the field of graphic design, both as a compendium of the very best monogramming work of the past, and as an inspiration to create new work, commercial and artistic. From elaborate Gothic figures, to restrained Victorian creations, to elegant, floral Art Nouveau triumphs, The Encyclopedia of Monograms offers an exhaustive array of decorative marks sure to influence original and unforgettable designs.