The following is a description of a brief visit by a representative of
the _Journal of Decorative Art_ to the new factory of the Patent
Letter and Enamel Company, Ltd., situate in the East End of London.
The company have recently secured a large freehold plot in the center
of the East End of London, and have built for themselves a most
commodious and spacious factory, some hundreds of feet in length, all
on one floor, and commanded from one end by the manager's office, from
whence can be seen at a glance the entire premises.
The works are divided into two large compartments, and are lighted
from the roof, ample provision being made for ventilation, and
attention being given to those sanitary conditions which are, or
should be, imperative on all well managed establishments.
We first explore the stockroom. Here are stored the numerous dies, of
all sizes and shapes, which the company possess, varying in size from
half an inch to twelve or sixteen inches. Here, too, is kept the large
store of thin sheet copper out of which the letters are stamped. Our
readers are familiar with the form or principle upon which these
letters are made. It is simply a convex surface, the reverse side
being concave, and being fixed on to the glass or other material with
a white lead preparation. When these letters were first made, the
practice was to cut or stamp them out in flat copper, and then to
round or mould them by a second operation. Recent improvements in the
machinery, however, have dispensed with this dual process, and the
stamping and moulding is done in the one swift, sharp operation.
The process of making an enameled letter has four stages--stamping,
enameling, firing, and filing. There are other and subsequent
processes for elaborating, but those named are of the essence of the
transaction.