Monogram and Script font for downloading

Andrew Biggs

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In a recent thread Francis talked about a couple of fonts that he had put into his computer as true type fonts. He sent them to me so they can be downloaded by the forum members.

Antique Monogram was created as a paper font printed on semitransparent oil-skin so the designs could be overlaid on top of each other and crossings of letters be created. Basically the uppercase letters are tall and skinny and the lower case letters are stretched so you lay them over each other for the basis of a monogram.

Renaissance was a solid font for the antique machine and is a connected ribbon script.

You can download them here

These are very attractive fonts for engraving and with a bit of creative thinking will be a real asset for engravers.

So thank you Francis for making them available to us.

Cheers
Andrew


 

Arnaud Van Tilburgh

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Thank you Francis and Andrew, for sharing this. :tiphat:
And notwithstanding I already have a lot of fonts, these are very different from them.

arnaud
 

Arnaud Van Tilburgh

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Thanks Andrew, just printed them off.

Jim

Jim, don't know what is you printed, but it is a TTF, a font that must be installed as a lettertype on your computer.
After installing you can type any letter using this letter type in your design program and then organise the letters so it become a monogram.

arnaud
 
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These fonts are based on type from my antique engraving machine, the New Century Engraver. (The new century in the title was 1900.) The monogram font exists as prints of the letters on large oil-skin paper that could be overlayed as Andrew did with the A and C letters. Once the outline was cut, the engraver would go back and shade the interiors with parallel lines in different directions to help visually separate the letters.

I still have some other fonts I intend to create from the old letter sets. It is a time consuming operation so it may be some while before you see the next result.
Hope you all enjoy these.
Francis
 

pilkguns

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I hate to say the emperor has no clothes, but am I the only one that wonders what possible value that these fonts could have to an engraver?

The top one would be next to impossible to engrave, and the Rennassaince at the bottom while having superficial resemblance to an engraving script, on the mechanical side would be far more difficult to cut than the relatively easy engravers script. It's my opinion that sometimes computer "layout" solutions, which may easily get a pattern on the metal to follow, create HUGE engravability problems for the beginner because they are not designed to be engraved and therefore create frustrations for him/her that would not exist if they stuck to real engraving designs.
 
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Scott,
100 years ago, these would have been a wonderful addition to the jeweler/engraver's tool kit. Today, it is true that the computers have allowed us to create many more designs very easily.
As far as using these, these are my own experiences:
I have used the antique machine, not frequently but occasionally, for 30 years. Especially before beginning to learn hand engraving, since the cutter on the old machine is a true graver rather than a diamond drag point, it was useful for those items that needed the hand-graved appearance.
For special items that didn't need hand-engraving but where the result would be better with antique styles like these, I figured out ways to use the type or the designs I created with them and do diamond drag designs on a new Hermes. When the item was going to be subject to abrasive wear like a signet ring or cuff bracelet, I would sometimes do it on the antique machine or in later years recut by hand after the initial pattern was created by the diamond.

I started changing the type into computer fonts in part because I still love the designs and because I wanted to avoid handling the old paper type any more than necessary. At some point, I'm going to make a video of how to use the machine and donate the whole assembly to a museum. I'm located about 12 miles from where it was made and I expect the local historical folks up there would find it a welcome addition to their collection.

So, maybe it makes sense and maybe it doesn't. Is it drafty in here or is it just my new set of cloths?

Peace,
Francis
 

Andrew Biggs

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Hi Scott

Emperors new clothes indeed.............:)

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them that easily.

I think that there are two things that make these fonts valuable. Remember that these are not commercial fonts as such. Francis has taken a lot of trouble and time to lift them off the original paper and get them into the computer as a true type font so the originals don't get damaged.

The second is, that if used with a bit of intelligence and creativity they would be quite handy to have. The Antique Monogram font could be used as is, or it could be played around with, printed out and used as a base to create something a bit more elaborate to engrave. Engravers are dab hands at taking something and adapting it to their own needs and this is something that could quite easily be used.

The Renaissance Script font is the same for anyone looking for something a little different. Again you will have to play with the spacing a bit and it is a historical script.

No one is suggesting that these are the exclusive domain of the beginner. What makes this a lot more interesting than most is the history behind it. You can download the fonts and make something of them..............or not. What Francis has given us is another tool to add to our arsenal of engraving resources that some people will find useful.

Cheers
Andrew
 

dlilazteca

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In a recent thread Francis talked about a couple of fonts that he had put into his computer as true type fonts. He sent them to me so they can be downloaded by the forum members.

Antique Monogram was created as a paper font printed on semitransparent oil-skin so the designs could be overlaid on top of each other and crossings of letters be created. Basically the uppercase letters are tall and skinny and the lower case letters are stretched so you lay them over each other for the basis of a monogram.

Renaissance was a solid font for the antique machine and is a connected ribbon script.

You can download them here

These are very attractive fonts for engraving and with a bit of creative thinking will be a real asset for engravers.

So thank you Francis for making them available to us.

Cheers
Andrew



Andrew,

I love to read old threads came upon this one but the link you had originally provided is no longer working, is there a way to get these fonts, thanks again
 

Andrew Biggs

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Hi Carlos

It is on my computer somewhere along with the lost tribes of Israel and goodness knows what else........finding it could be the problem. :)

I'll have a look but no promises. If I find the files you can certainly have them

Cheers
Andrew
 

monk

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Scott,
100 years ago, these would have been a wonderful addition to the jeweler/engraver's tool kit. Today, it is true that the computers have allowed us to create many more designs very easily.
As far as using these, these are my own experiences:
I have used the antique machine, not frequently but occasionally, for 30 years. Especially before beginning to learn hand engraving, since the cutter on the old machine is a true graver rather than a diamond drag point, it was useful for those items that needed the hand-graved appearance.
For special items that didn't need hand-engraving but where the result would be better with antique styles like these, I figured out ways to use the type or the designs I created with them and do diamond drag designs on a new Hermes. When the item was going to be subject to abrasive wear like a signet ring or cuff bracelet, I would sometimes do it on the antique machine or in later years recut by hand after the initial pattern was created by the diamond.

I started changing the type into computer fonts in part because I still love the designs and because I wanted to avoid handling the old paper type any more than necessary. At some point, I'm going to make a video of how to use the machine and donate the whole assembly to a museum. I'm located about 12 miles from where it was made and I expect the local historical folks up there would find it a welcome addition to their collection.

So, maybe it makes sense and maybe it doesn't. Is it drafty in here or is it just my new set of cloths?

Peace,
Francis
francis: could you please send a foto of your machine. i'd like to see it. tyvm.
 

dlilazteca

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Laredo, Texas
Hi Carlos

It is on my computer somewhere along with the lost tribes of Israel and goodness knows what else........finding it could be the problem. :)

I'll have a look but no promises. If I find the files you can certainly have them

Cheers
Andrew
Andrew,

Haha funny I know what you mean, i appreciate it.

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