Vintage Pitman’s Pocket Shorthand Dictionary – Centenary Edition c.1937 – Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons – Working Office Reference Book
.
Why We Love It
There’s something quietly powerful about this little book.
Not a display piece. Not a decorative afterthought.
This was used — carried, referenced, relied upon.
.
A pocket companion to a clerk, a secretary, perhaps a journalist… someone whose words needed to move as fast as thought. Long before laptops and voice notes, this was the tool that kept pace with conversation.
.
The softened corners, the creased cloth, the handwritten name inside — all speak to a life spent in motion. A working object from a time when communication was an art of precision and speed.
.
The Story
This is a Centenary Edition of Pitman’s Pocket Shorthand Dictionary, published by Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd, dating to around 1937, marking 100 years since the introduction of Pitman shorthand in 1837.
Pitman shorthand was the backbone of professional communication in Britain for over a century — used in:
Courtrooms
Newsrooms
Offices
Government departments
This compact dictionary was designed for quick, on-the-go reference, listing words alongside their shorthand forms, including grammalogues and contractions — essential tools for anyone working at speed.
.
Details
Title: Pitman’s Pocket Shorthand Dictionary
Edition: Centenary Edition (c.1937)
Publisher: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd
Format: Pocket-sized hardback
Language: English with Pitman shorthand symbols
Printed in: London (with references to Bath, New York & Melbourne offices)
.
Approximate Size
Height: ~11–12 cm
Width: ~8–9 cm
(A true pocket companion)
.
Condition
A well-used and characterful example.
Cloth boards heavily worn and softened
Creasing to front cover and spine
Edge wear and rounding consistent with age and use
Internal pages intact with age toning and some staining
Handwritten name and marks to inside front page
.
Structurally sound and complete — a genuine working survivor rather than a pristine copy.
.
Perfect For
Vintage desk or study styling
Writers, journalists, or lovers of language
Props and period interiors
Collectors of educational or office ephemera
Anyone drawn to the tactile charm of pre-digital life
.
Postage & Packaging
Carefully wrapped using sustainable, protective packaging to ensure safe arrival.
.
A Note from Us
This is more than a book — it’s a tool from a time when words were captured in motion, translated into symbols, and preserved by skill.
.
Objects like this remind us that communication hasn’t always been instant — it was once learned, practised, and mastered.
.
Important Information
The description is given to the best of our knowledge but cannot be relied upon as entirely accurate.
.
Please review all photographs carefully as they form part of the description.