The Harnkss Makf.rs' Guide. 65 



With the above few hints an intelligent, observani, .imi t-ncif^etic 



young man shouhl learn how to engrave a dog v.illar and similar 



articles fairly well. He will find the wax',, (after the first 



AT few weeks of breaking the points of! the tools and 



V running the gravers right across the plai- into his left 



XI hand), very interesting, and if he can <lr.;;gn monograms 



Roman. ?"^' fancy ornamental lettering and embellishments, 



it will become quite a fascinating pursuit. Hut 



it is necessary, if he means to become at all skilful, to get into 



touch with a professional engraver, 



or a good amateur, and of the 



latter, it may be said, there are -/-A / / 



very few. In one dav he could /^ ^^/^/ // J /^ 



9 



thus Lain more than by a week 



or a month of book-reading on 



the subir-ct. The letters engraved Round-hand. 



on brass cart harness plates, 



scallops, etc., are done quite differently. This is rougher and 



more laborious. The plate is fixed to a board or in a vice, 



the graver is punched with a hammer, and the work done in a 



manner identical to that of a mason cutting a tombstone. 



With regard to monograms, they appear both orn.imental and 

 as indicating ownership upon well-night everything to-day. Thev 

 a:e noticed upon horse rugs, carriages, whips, crops, watches, 

 rings, books, notepaper, bicycles, brush backs, walking sticks, 

 umbrellas, leather cases, etc., etc., and the designs for them are 

 in endless variety. How many have been puzzled when thev have 

 had a monogram, to pick the initials of a new customer, and explain 

 to anyone which is the first, second, third, or fourth letter. As 

 far back as the writer can trace, the earliest monograms of modern 

 times were the marks of old merchants 

 put upon bales of goods, as the A.F., 

 J.T.B., and F.A.S., as shown. From 

 ihes;* has evolved another vaiiety of 

 monogram, in which, as the F.A.S. 

 shows, the letters are, as it were, hung 

 one upon the other, an arrangement with an old-world method 

 that is to-day very much favoured. 



As in most other things, there is fashion in inoriogrntas, and 

 not a Izw amateurs ingeniously exercise theii;^ ski 

 arranujements for their initials, 

 running cypher, or script, as it is here 

 arianged, is more simple than any 

 monogram, is easier read at a 

 glance, and \oo\.% quite as well. 

 The designing of a really artis 

 monogram, however, pr.rticularlv 

 when the combination of letters is an awkward 

 possible onlv to the specialist, simple as the task may 

 Just at the present time the plain block " Egyptian," or Roman, 

 stvle of monogram, the simplest of its kind, is the most fashionable, 

 the letters M.C. and D.O.L. being devoid of ornamentatio-n. They 



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