The Vault Folio
An invitation to a January dinner, mailed as a stock certificate inside a paper vault. Turn the dial a turn and a half and the certificate slides out. Below: a working model of the intent, what we are asking you to quote, the specifications, and the files. The mechanism shown is our proposal, not a requirement; if you know a better way to get the same effect, we would like to hear it.
How it works
- Sleeve. A letter-size sleeve, 11 × 8.5 in, two panels of 110 lb cotton duplexed door-blue over linen, glued on three edges. The fourth edge, on the right, has a slot the height of the sled.
- Sled. A linen carrier, 9.25 × 6.1 in, with a lift tab. The 9 × 5.75 in certificate rests in its corner pocket, so the printed piece stays exactly as designed.
- Spool. The brass brad through the dial carries a 1 in paper spool inside the sleeve. A linen ribbon runs from the spool to the sled's left edge.
- Turn. Each clockwise turn winds 3.1 in of ribbon; a turn and a half draws the sled 4.5 in out through the slot. Turn back and it retracts. The dial has a stop at both ends.
What we are asking you to quote
1 · The certificate. A 9 × 5.75 in flat card on 220 lb cotton (Crane's Lettra or Neenah Cotton, ecru). Letterpress in one color, a door blue. Gold foil on the title and ornaments. A seal at lower left as a foil-and-blind-emboss combination die (blind emboss alone is acceptable if the ring text is too fine for foil). Gold edge paint. The name line is left blank for a calligrapher.
2 · The vault sleeve. The 11 × 8.5 in sleeve above: two duplexed panels (door blue over linen) with spacer strips forming a channel, a foil vault face, a die-cut dial on a brass brad, a reel and ribbon, and a linen sled that carries the certificate out of the right edge. One prototype round with two working samples before production.
3 · Envelopes. A 9 × 12 in cotton booklet envelope for the sleeve, with a blind-embossed return address on the flap.
Optional. Digitally printed 4.25 × 5.5 in cards on 110 lb cotton with variable names and QR codes, and digital addressing of the envelopes from our list.
Quantities. 6 now and 30 later, with plates and dies retained; or 36 in one run if that is materially cheaper.
Timing. Quotes by Tuesday, September 8, 2026, sooner if you can; we will place the order that week. Certificates and sleeves in San Francisco by Friday, September 18, after one prototype round.
In your quote, please include
- Price by line item: plates, foil die, emboss die, edge paint, envelopes; for the sleeve, dies, foil, duplexing, prototype, brads and ribbon, and hand assembly per piece (or a price for us to assemble from your parts)
- A committed delivery or pickup date for the first run, and lead time for the second
- Whether die-cutting, duplexing, and assembly are in-house or with a partner
- Gold foil swatches (matte and satin) and a press-proof option
Latitude. The sleeve is the effect we want: nothing comes out until the dial is turned, and the certificate arrives untouched. Reel size, ribbon, sled construction, stock weights, even the drive itself are open. Quote our dieline as drawn and, if you would change something, tell us what and why. A simpler mechanism that works reliably beats a faithful one that does not. Quote only the parts you do; we are glad to pair a printer with a paper engineer.
Specifications
| Certificate | |
|---|---|
| Trim | 9 × 5.75 in, landscape, no bleed |
| Stock | Crane's Lettra 220 lb DTC Ecru or Neenah Cotton 220 DTC Ecru (Gmund Cotton 600 gsm also welcome) |
| Ink | Letterpress, 1 color, door blue (approx. Pantone 5395 C); 100% K line art, min 0.4 pt lines, min 6 pt type |
| Foil | Gold: title, four corner rosettes, one inner rule, a short rule and diamond; min 0.7 pt lines |
| Seal | Ø1.17 in, lower left: foil + blind-emboss combination die, single level |
| Finishing | Gold edge paint on the stack; name line blank |
| Files | PDF per plate at trim size (ink, foil, emboss), fonts embedded; outlines on request |
| Vault sleeve | |
|---|---|
| Size | 11 × 8.5 in landscape; right edge open 6.3 in |
| Panels | Two, 110 lb cotton duplexed door blue outside / linen inside; two 1.05 in spacer strips and a 0.4 in left stop; glued top, bottom, left |
| Face | Gold foil rings, twelve bolts, ring text, exit arrow, wordmark; brad hole Ø1/8 in at center |
| Dial | Die-cut Ø2.6 in disc, foil spokes and hub, brass brad with 3/4 in shank |
| Drive | Paper reel on the brad (Ø1.2 in discs, Ø0.8 in core); 1/2 in linen ribbon, 6.5 in, to the sled; about 1½ turns for 4.5 in of travel |
| Sled | 9.25 × 6.1 in linen; corner pocket for the certificate; lift tab; retention lip |
| Envelope | 9 × 12 in cotton booklet; mails as a First-Class flat |
Files
Certificate plate files (ink, foil, emboss) are sent on selection. Everything on this page may be shared with your die maker or paper engineer.
Contact
Daven Patel, Efficiency · support@useefficiency.com · San Francisco. Quotes by Tuesday, September 8, 2026, sooner if you can. If you are not in San Francisco, we are glad to walk through the sleeve on a call or Zoom.