Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-16
DAILY KENNEBEC JOURNAL. TUESDAY DECEMBER Is 1902
THE NEWEST FAD.
Ancient Art Of Typography is Becom.
ing Popular in Augusta.
Men and Women are Experimenting
and Teachers Are Busy.

! Inc ancient Egyptian art of pyrogra
phy Is last becoming popular in Au
| gusta.~ Men and women, boys an,
| girls, are experimenting with the littl,
burners that are used to TRANSFORM
scraps of leather and wooden object.
into beautiful works of art. n
Typography is one of the oldest sub.
Jects of art life which has found its re-
vival and modern development as q
lau within the last five or six years
Inc name comes from two Greek
words. pyr. fire, and graphein. to write.
hence, fire writing. Literally the
derivation may have applied to ancient
tlines. but producing things beautiful
by the use or control of fire, it cannot
be said that it covers all modern
phases, Typography, however. is
what has been deemed best to call if
ana as typography it has come to stay
1t was practiced by the Egyptians in
ancient times. who used it to portray
certain hieroglyphics, both ideographic
and phonetic, the Geographic sign rep
resenting an idea and the phonetic rep
resenting sound. AS the ideographic
hieroglyphic was used by the ancients,
1t is probable that typography was
used by the Chinese even before the
Egyptians. 1t was also practiced by
the American Indians in our own coun-
try. Information was portrayed by
signs of animals, objects, etc.
The use of typography in portraying
phonetic hieroglyphics is familiar to
almost everybody of the present day.
An example of the most common use
of the art may be seen upon cases of
certain imported goods, the announce
ment of the condition of whose con-
tents. in sepia tints, may be found
synonymous with the internal defects
of the observer.
Typography. as applied to art, was
practiced in the medieval ages. In the
18th century Flemish artists brought
this work to great perfection and wera
followed by English masters, by whom
beautiful specimens We're made that
are still in existence. 1t was then
known as poker burning" Flat
tened iron rods were used. heated in
charcoal braziers. tedious, clumsy
and dirty process.
The instruments for practicing py-
Biography today are vastly different.
Burners with platinum points are en-
ployed. The main part of the burners
are so made that the points are inter-
chanseable as occasion requires. They
are secured by a nut. The points are
generally sharp fiat, blunt flat, tri-
Cnrnered curved. fine pointed straight
and blunt pointed straight.
For adding hydrocarbons to the
gases. which supply the flame to get
known as a carburetor is used This
is metallic box with an inlet for air,
and two outlets, one for gas to keep up
the combustion in the platinum point
and the other for blow pipe blast to
ignite the burner.
The box is filed with an absorbent,
fireproof material, upon which two or
three ounces of benZine are poured, a
Fart of which is absorbed by the filling.
The surplus is then poured off for flu
ture use Gas is generated only as long
as air is pumped into the box. The
dangerous quality of the benZine is
thus overcome and benzine bottles, al
cohol and alcohol lamps are dispensed
with.
While the pressure is used by pres
sure a rubber bulb. the platinum point
is traced over wooden surface, or
upon leather, and some very beautiful
designs are produced. A variety of
tones in scpia may be obtained, re-
sembling those seen in rare etchinSs,
aided by the coloring of the wood.
The process is exceedingly simple
and the instruments may be obtained
ut very reasonable prices. Designs may
be drawn upon wood that has been
turaed into all manner of shapes. For
those who are not adept at drawing,
the wooden pieces may be obtained al
ready marked and the operator. going
over them with the heated points, may
bring out the light and shade effects.
With a little practice one may be-
come proficient il this decorative art.
Specimens well executed find ready
sale and ones income may be ma
teriaIly increased by spending a little
time each day with the carburetor ana
tpt