ADDRESS TO LORD COBHAM

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28371, 2 September 1957, Page 7

ADDRESS TO LORD COBHAM

Wellington Man’s Craftsmanship "The Press* Special Service WELLINGTON, September 1. For three weeks a craftsman in Wellington has spent his days bent over two vellum pages. He is Mr A. W. Mahood, a cartographer, who in that time has filled the pages with illuminated lettering in gold and colours. The text is a civic address of welcome to the Governor-Gen-eral-designate, Lord Cobham. In its black morocco leather case, with the city coat of arms in gold on the face, the address will be- handed to Lord Cobham when he arrives from England on Thursday. In the style of the monks, who introduced this form of hand-let-tering centuries ago, Mr Mahood has embellished the capital letters in colour and gold.

Mr Mahood illuminated a similar address which was handed to the Queen during her visit. He has been preparing civic illuminated addresses for governors and governors-general since the time of Lord Islington. Each letter is perfectly formed in old English style, and the embellishments are traditional and heraldic. In the initial letters, 15-carat gold is used in the same way as water colours. The scroll-work is symbolic. There is a conventionalised cornucopia in one part, in another a stylised rambler rose. Elsewhere are parts of an heraldic cape, as on a coat of arms.