New member, saying Hi and asking about a font

[Neville Stewart]

Hello all - Compared to some of the work I see on here Im a computerised hack, but regardless. Ive been asked to recreate a broken glass pane for an old Tobacco cabinet from the Lorillard Company. Im wondering if this font might already have been recreated or is there someone on here more capable than myself at doing so? Thanks in advance. Neville

[Doug Bernhardt]

Hi Neville and welcome. I don't use a computer at work but I doubt very much it was or will ever be a "font". Am guessing your best effort would be a tracing and then translate into which ever technology you prefer. May just be a good time to start trying a brush and paint? Good luck with this.

[Neville Stewart]

Thank you Doug, Might be. My old neighbor was a coachbuilders signwriter back in the day. Talk about exquisite work, not sure if Id ever be that good with a brush. In this case they want etched glass to match. Thanks all the same - Neville

[Mike Jackson]

Neville, Until about 1982 or so, no one had much access to fonts of any kind, much less the ability to digitize our own artwork.

If there is a piece of glass with a remaining image, you can put a piece of paper over it and rub across it with a crayon or graphite stick (make a rubbing). It will give you a usable image. Nowadays, you could digitize that piece, after scanning it. In the older days, people would use a pounce wheel to create a paper pattern. From there, you could hand cut stencil to do any necessary etching and chipping.

These steps might seem clumsy by some people's standards, but actually, it might be the fastest way of getting the job done.