The Washington times., 1901-11-24
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES.
Artistic characterization Often Makes
Them Very Expensive.

| Up-to-date marriage certificates are
artistic affairs, written on parchment
showing the best pen and brush work OF
the iIluminator, bound in fine levant COW
ers, and cost anywhere from SIS to $50
The marriage certificate is an important
legal document. and with its sacramento
and sentimental value it is worthy of
the work put upon it. More and more OF
these artistic certificates are being made,
and with the parchment foundation they
will resist the effects Of time.
The oId-time marriage certificates, usu-
ally written upon paper and sometimes
bound into a email white-coyered vol
ume. contained reading matter appropri-
| ate TO the occasion, and was frequently
| presented by the officiating clergyman
| to the bride. In some cases the modern
| certificate is a present from the clergy
! man to the couple he Is marrying, bu'
this is not frequent.
! In general style the certificates do not
vary. There are two materials used for
| them-parchment sheeDskin, which is the
most durable. and veIlum calfshin. upon
which alterations can be more easily made
! in the text, disadvantage in a legal doc
ument of any kind. The covers are of
| flexible levant in churchly red, lined
with white watered silk and the parch-
ment leaves gre tied in with heavy white
corded silk ribbon, fastened at the two
| ends of the cover, tied in the centre. The
| leaves are slipped in, and there may be
| as many as desired.
Upon the first page appears the certiii-
cate fair, clear, and unfolded. This is
entire, with the signatures of the clergy
man and witnesses. Other pages which
may be added receive the names of the
guests present, if they also care to add
their names as witnesses.
The difference in price is caused chiefly
by the amount of work put into the illu-
mination of the certificate. The illumi-
mated letters are in red and gold COM
bined with missal text in black. The sur
face of the parchment is first prepared to
receive the ink and colors. Velum will
give better depth of color to the work
done, having more impressionable sur
face. but the more durable parchment
holds its own in spite of this fact, and
beautiful work can be done upon ii.
Prominent in the certificate is the inf-
tial at the beginning, which is decorated
with orange blossoms in the natural tones
of green and white leaves and blossoms.
The body of the certificate is in the mis-
sal text in black, with medieval capitals,
the names, word marriage, etc, illumin-
ated in shades of red, with gold, which
is bIrnlSned. a spuce IS lei. TOT tne Sig
natures.
There is one size usually for the GER
tificate-S1a by IL inches-though occa-
sionally they are smaller. Among the
largest certificates made are those used
by the Society of Friends. These are II
by 90 fnches, done in black upon parch-
ment, and cost on an average SIS. There
is much to be said upon marriage GER
tificate of this society, ali in close let
tering. increasing the cost, which seems
excessive considering the simplicity of
the document. There is no hne leather
cover for this. but the long sheet is usu-
ally enclosed in an enameled tin tube |
They use more of the handwork certifi- |
Gates than other denominations.
There is an advantage in the tin tube, |
for while vellum and parchment have |
time-enduring powers. they prove tempta- !
tions to rats and mice and must be care !
fully locked away from the rodents. |
When elaborate. the Friends certificates |
will cost from $40 to $50. They are done |
in black and white, with grey tracery, !
and put UP in beautiful handmade tube |
OF leather of a fine quality. ornamented
at the ends with hand tooling.-New York
Times.