Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-07-05
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About Sign-Boards.

&&ftte
Interrogated on the subject, a large
manufacturer of signs stated:
"The business in this city has adj
vanced considerably within a recent Pc
Rod. Formerly merchants were con-
tent with plain board upon which
was painted their names, and displayed
the crude affair in q way that often de-
,tracted from its value. The tremendous
competition in mercantile life and the
lavish use of advertising has given sign
making great impetus. From small
industry it has been elevated into an
extensive business, divided into many
departments, employing in its uses a
long list of materials, keeping alive and
in a flourishing condition. hundreds of
shops, and giving employment to hum
dreds of workmen, designers and art
isans, skilled and unskilled.
"A 't'Mention few of the materials used
in the manufacture of signs" r Z" g
'''Iron, zinc, copper, brass, silver, and
sometimes gold, the less precious
Jewels and mineral dust, glass, paper,
chemicals, etc. The list is too long to
go over without Il memorandum. Signs
are made of homogeneous and of hete-
rogeneous materials. They are nodded,
or cut, or carved, or hammered to-
'gether. There is hardly a branch of
applied physics which is not in general
way called on for contributions in their
manufacture. Chemistry is also
searched for new combinations of colors
which shall include greater durability
and vividness.'' - ~
The different departments in the
manufacture, what are they?' p.at..t
'Signs are divided into distinct va
rieties.i There are the metal signs,
the glass signs, the image signs and the
wooden signs. All these shade into
grades, each of which is separate from
the rest Metal signs are usually
shield-shaped. The material -copper,
zinc or sheet-iron- cut according to
the pattern, and silver and gold-plated,
as the case may be. The edges are then
treated, and the letters are cut into it
by a grayer and enameled The whole
is then polished, and when fitted with
wooden braces is ready to be set up.
1t passes through the hands of several
special workmen in the process. Illu-
minated signs made of glass are among
the best of advertising mediums. They
are made under patents by a number of
establishments in the East. From be-
ginning of simple painted glass the
Illuminated shields, and banners, and
spheres, and various other shapes you
see adjoining restaurant and theatre
fronts at night have become very COM
pick and beautiful affairs. Stained
glass and German jewels are used in
their makeup. Some of them-the
best specimens-rival mosaics, except
that, unlike these curios, they are trans
lucent.
''As in their infancy certain trades
are still designated by their peculiar
signs. The shoemaker displays a boot,
the apothecary a mortar and pestle,
the butcher a joint, and so on. The
fact is one of the minor illustrations of
the truth that human nature, despite
the influences of a high civilization. is
homely, and like homely things,
changes little. These signs formerly
were made of wood. Zinc and copper
have replaced that material. The
working of these minerals in this form is
another department of sign-making.
1t requires designers, men of artistic
sense and training, and artisans who
execute, the. same as the assistants who
copy in marble the creation which the
sculptor has built. in clay. Metal
images, often works of decidedly artist
ic merit, are manufactured chiefly in
Troy and a few other places in the
Eastern States. ....,. ...--
''There are a great many smaller
signs,' he continued, ''for windows
and showcases which are built on the
principle that novelty is the cardinal
virtue of an advertising device. These,
are well, covered by patents
and are more or less ephemeral. Against
them all the old board holds its own.
1t is the, most extensively used, and
constitutes in consequence the largest
department of sign-maSing. A few
edge7itools and plenty of paint measure
the manufacturing necessities of shop
devoted to this branch. But simple as
are the. materials and tools, the work
they'tdo is constantly improving in
beauty, and | may say in cost. There
is q Keen rivalry, among business firms
in the direction of the attractions of
their store-fronts. Profuse gilded let
tering is not enough now. They go in
for novelty, The sign-maker is required
to use, scarcely less paint and gliding.
but his invention is taxed to work up
the boards in new forms. Lettering is
more elaborate, and SO also are borders
There is elaborate carving, both of
letters and backgrounds. Plants and
animals, domestic utensils are initiated, |
silver and diamond dust are sprinkled
in-i1ih short, the average downtown
is becoming not only an
object of pleased and wondering at
tention to the observer, but not infre-
quently an investment of considerable
capital to the owner, and with al a pro-
duct of which an artist may well be
proud. - Chicago Tribune.
49, a.i t.s Fish Lore.
/ deny altogether that the cold
bIooded tish-looked on with contempt |
SO far as its intellectual powers are con-
ceIred-iS StIllaid Glow To, leas:ra Or, |