Lettering Sample Plate

[allan621]

This is a sample plate that was given to me when I helped an apprentice purchase used engraving supplies. The guy who sold the supplies had a father who engraved jewelry. It was given to the father, passed down to the son and he gave it to me because he had no one to leave it too. . I tried a few times to get some information about Arthur W. Sagel but can't turn anything up. Mainly for two reasons. The first is because the work he did was of sentimental value but not of something collectors collected. The second is that when I think this is done ( the 1930's or 40's ) there were just a lot of jewelry engravers in Baltimore and there were plenty to chose from; so he was eventually forgotten. Even the guy who gave me the plate didn't know who he was. Such is life.

What makes this interesting to me is the precision which the lines are laid, especially the lines repeated one after another. No microscopes or power gravers. I visited a Masonic Lodge when I started engraving and had a talk with a jewelry engraver who just retired at 85. He started working as an engraver in the late 1930's. I asked him what the big advances were in his time. He thought about it for a bit and then said, "electric light" . That was a long time ago.

The plate is on the small side, 4 inches x 5.25 inches

I've been talking to the wife about retiring for a few years now, but my wife told me it was too soon to retire. But I'm turning 73 in a few months and its time for me to start letting things go like the guy who gave it to me. He was elderly, and now so am I.

I'm going to be selling this in the next few months. Not sure of a price. If you have an idea let me know.

Allan

 

[mdengraver]

Wow! Some really nice, precious engravings. Belong in a museum!

 

[SamW]

Those are very nice Allan! As for retiring...my retirement plan is the "feet first" plan...I will retire when they carry me out feet first. And I just turned 80.

 

[KevinCunningham]

Thanks for sharing the pics!

 

[allan621]

Those are very nice Allan! As for retiring...my retirement plan is the "feet first" plan...I will retire when they carry me out feet first. And I just turned 80.

Sam

My wife and I had a talk about what I should do when I actually retire. She said I should take up a hobby. I said it was a good idea, so how about I try hand engraving?

I plan to retire from the store I deal with once my apprentice is sufficiently trained to take over. After that I plan on only doing work i'm interested in. I feel more relaxed when I'm at my bench then anywhere else ( unless I'm with my wife ) so they won't take me feet first but roll me in my chair to the bench in the sky so I can keep engraving.

Allan

 

[FANCYGUN]

A good option for these plates would be to make castings of them and sell or give them out to people. Even let FEGA sell them along with all the other castings on the web page

 

[AO84]

Looks like he used a flat to create illusion of depth on most of these...interesting

 

[papart1]

Happy birthday Sam!!!...............................I am just 71

 

[SamW]

That is the right attitude Allan!!

 

[allan621]

Looks like he used a flat to create illusion of depth on most of these...interesting

AO84

Well the flat tool in a lot of jewelry engraving has been mostly replaced by liner tools since they are easier to cut with. I still use a lot of flat tools mostly for cutting script letters and inside ring engraving. In the plates lettering examples you're right in that in creates the illusion of depth.

But if you see the flat cuts in the engravers name, they have a different purpose. And that's in case if any of those cross shade diagonal lines go past the border ( being cut from left to right ) the flat tool cuts over the excess, wiping them out leaving a clean cross shaded letter.

If you look at the large center monogram you'll see the flat tool or square tool bright cuts on both sides of the letters. This creates the illusion of the letters being cut out and then applied to the plate. If you've seen Sam's Flair cutting dvd, that's what it like.

Allan

 

[sam]

What a treasure you have there! I have a few of them too, and they are wonderful to study.

 

[monk]

if i were to sell such a prize i'd sell it to sam alfano or roger bleile. either of these two will insure that the plate doesn't end up in somebodys' dusty junk drawer.