Love Letters: American Commercial Engraving, Monograms and Social Stationery

Please join us at University of Texas at Austin for the most recent rendition of this evolving presentation about American commercial engraving.

Tuesday September 22, 6:00pm–7:30pm Art Building, Room ART 1.120 This lecture will include images from recent research and sources of commercial engraving and specifications for engraving types never before shown in public or discussed.

http://aigaaustin.org/events/2009/09/detail/414/

Beauty Make-Over for Heavy Metal

A silk purse...from a...sow's ear.

Mission complete, the smaller of two, hundred year old engraving proofing presses have just been fully restored and completely operable by my husband and partner, John Mack Collins. This baby (pictured above) weighs-in at about two hundred pounds and when you hit the ball watch your head and digits 'cause it wields about a force of two tons.

These presses were originally made for proofing half inch thick commercially engraved dies but they have been used for production work on embossed monograms and family seals. The big brother, about 50% again the weight, is almost completely restored as well. This one will reside at Loyola University New Orleans in the graphic design department with Professors Daniela Marx and Nancy Bernardo. A small but burgeoning cottage industry for print engraving is being nurtured here in New Orleans by Yvette Rutlidge, venerable typographer, sign letter and master engraver, at Mystic Blue Signs. Yve will be devoting a portion of her shop to the letter arts, and, engraving.

Follow the entire story, here:

http://typophile.com/node/59459
http://typophile.com/node/58983
(sample of the 1/2" thick steel dies) http://typophile.com/node/51918
http://typophile.com/node/51189

So Noted: In search of monograms; Felt and Wire

Seeking submission of engraving as noted in the wonderful Mohawk paper blog.

Looking for Examples of Hand Engraved Social Stationery

For a research project I am seeking actual pieces of hand engraved social stationery, no photos. If you have some to lend or give, kindly contact me directly for mailing particulars. She is nscstationer@earthlink.net. Please email me with the particulars, include your name, phone number(s), complete description of the piece or pieces you would like to submit, the story of to whom and from whom the piece came, your relationship (if any) and any interesting bits that would make for a nice story.

If your piece is chosen, we will need a legal release to digitize and publish your submission.

What we are looking for must be hand engraved and of American origin, including but not limited to:

• stationery
• cards
• notes
• calling cards
• at home cards
• announcements
• acknowledgment cards

The sole criterion is engraving: this is raised on the front with a bruise or indentation on the back, which is how to tell real engraving.

What's The Difference Between Hand and Regular Engraving?

For centuries hand engraving has been combined with etching to create beautiful designs for print.

Engraving is accomplished with a very sharp knife-like blade called a burin or graver, it cuts lines and or dots into metal forming letters or art. When ink is rubbed into the cuts and the surface wiped clean the ink stays within the cuts, a piece of paper is then placed on top and pressure (about 2 tons) applied forcing the paper into the inked places. When the paper is pulled away the ink is transferred onto it. Because of this extreme pressure the ink is raised so you can feel it.

In etching, acid is used to perform the "cut", the method for inking and printing is the same but it takes years and years of apprenticeship to master engraving while etching is easier to achieve. So, over the years, most commercial "engraving" has—and is—primarily etched.

http://nancysharoncollinsstationer.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/addendum-to-sumner-stone-article-blog-from-an-engravers-point-of-view/

www.nancysharoncollinsstationer.com

http://typophile.com/blog/14410