- Side margin of at least 20 mm. In older letterheads this margin was often
ignored. This continued not to be noticed because in those days letters
did not need to be so systematically organized as they are today.
A standardized letterhead, before it is written, often gives the impression
that not enough room has been left for the letter itself. This is a deception,
caused by the line of "your ref" etc. People forget that the address of the
addressee goes above: the remaining space for the actual letter is larger
than in many old letterheads.
Typographic design of standard letterheads
Printers must now find a typographic form that fits the standards for letter
headings and looks well.
The necessary left-hand margin by itself points to an asymmetric design. It
is really against sense, in order to achieve symmetry, to repeat the margin
on the right purely for decorative reasons. Why should the details of a let
terhead be made hard to read? If the two punch-holes for filing are
included, symmetry is in any case impossible (assuming that apart from a
few snobs nobody writes a letter itself symmetrically. In general, the typog
raphy of the old letterheads took no notice of the fact that the letter as
received would be written, signed, and folded. Only when it is a completed
whole can it look beautiful!).
The margin should not be marked by a fine rule or anything else, but should
be left white. The lines of type begin on its right-hand edge, and aligned
exactly below them the typing starts. In this way the typed letter has a
pleasant and prominent white stripe (provided that the writing continues to
the edge of the paper on the right, and does not stop 2 or 3 centimetres
from it. which is quite unnecessary).
The punch-holes can be made in advance, if desired, as the Standard rec
ommends, end it is even possible that the holes. as a conscious part of the
design, can enrich the general effect. I find it desirable so to position the
left-hand edge of the type matter that the holes are exactly in the middle of
the white margin. That usually makes a margin of 25 mm necessary.
The space for the firm's name etc. should preferably be filled as completely
as possible, the white spaces between the lines having the same weight as
the black lines of type. The print not only can but should extend to the
right-hand edge of the paper, leaving only one pica of space there. Only in
this way will the left-hand margin have its full effect. There is also basically
no reason for beginning the design more than one pica down from the top
n7