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Rule of thumb on Monograms ?

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Author	Topic: Rule of thumb on Monograms ?
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 09-19-2018 04:57 PM Seeing as virtually 80%+ of the items I am buying have monograms - wondering if there is a rule of thumb regarding the way initials are written on silver. For example: If someone named Susan Allison Smith marries John Brown, I assume a spoon monogrammed after her marriage may read SBS (Susan Brown Smith) - with the B larger than the first and last initial. Then there are others where the initials are all the same size - so that makes me wonder if those are someone's actual name initials - i.e. SAS (Susan Allison Smith). Or is it just another way of doing the same thing. I've seen one, two, three and four initial monograms. Is there a rule of thumb on reading monograms? IP: Logged
Polly Posts: 1970 Registered: Nov 2004	posted 09-19-2018 08:45 PM I think if the initials are the same size, they represent the initials of the name read from left to right (eg, SBA = Susan B. Anthony), but if the central one is much bigger, it represents the last name (eg, S[great big A]B = Susan B. Anthony). IP: Logged
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 09-21-2018 08:41 AM Thank you Polly. That is my assumption also. Some monograms are quite elaborate. IP: Logged
asheland Posts: 935 Registered: Nov 2003	posted 09-21-2018 09:44 AM If the monogram is original to the piece and done by hand, I find it actually helps the piece. Some are extraordinary! IP: Logged
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 09-21-2018 10:01 AM Some monograms are works of art. I have a spoon by Root & Brothers which has a really nice monogram style. I've seen other Root spoons with the same style so they were definitely done by the same engraver. Some monograms done by hand many moons ago have elaborate interconnecting letters and it's amazing how they did them without making any mistakes. IP: Logged
agleopar Posts: 850 Registered: Jun 2004	posted 09-22-2018 12:32 AM Mono’s are an art and a good engraver is first and formost good at laying out the design with first a pencil then a scriber. The cutting, again by a good engraver, is sort of rote because he/she is just following the scribed lines. Actually they can cut a better flowing line than draw it but it sort of happens of itself by virtue of the very sharp graver and the resistance of the silver along with years of cutting. Done at the best level there are no mistakes! IP: Logged
asheland Posts: 935 Registered: Nov 2003	posted 09-24-2018 12:09 PM Check out my Fish Tray video to see a crazy monogram. I still don't know exactly what the initials are! IP: Logged

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