Greetings card business launches in Exeter

The Pattern Book is a new greetings card publisher which curates vintage graphics from science, art and literature and reinvents them for the contemporary eye.

Started by two publishers, Nick Crowe and Neil Baber, both with backgrounds in art history and design, The Pattern Book sells directly to the public and retailers via its online shop, and has plans to supply galleries, bookshops and upmarket retail outlets in the South West and beyond.

Launching with nine different ranges totalling fifty designs, the business is already developing its next set of designs, and hopes to double its product range by the end of 2016.

Current ranges include a set of patterns from an early twentieth century Japanese design catalogue, lino and woodcuts printed in letterpress on a vintage Heidelberg Platen press, and a collection of scientific colour graphics demonstrating theories of colour and light. For sports enthusiasts a collection of Edwardian guides to outdoor sports, including swimming, football, golf and croquet, are also on sale.

‘We think there’s beauty to be found in ideas,’ explains Nick Crowe. ‘Whether in a long-forgotten recipe book or an obscure scientific paper it’s incredible what you can find out there. Our goal is to make every card not just visually beautiful, but stimulating and intriguing too, and good enough to frame!’ The business also offers a bespoke service for museums and galleries wishing to create greetings cards from significant items in their collections.

Orders can be made via The Pattern Book website at www.thepatternbook.co.uk where retailers can register for a trade account, or bought at Darts Farm, Topsham.