Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Template, Lettering |
Object Number |
2020.033.071a-b |
Description |
Lettering Guide White laminated plastic lettering guide;single-sided; rectangular; top side of the guide has black engraved characters on the left side; characters read: ",ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ8rabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz, (%)",=0123456789;" red engraved text on the right side of the guide reads: "K+E/ LEROY 61 0300-50 CL/ KEUFFEL & ESSER CO./ (Pen 4x0) USE FINE GROOVE TRACER PIN;'' narrow incised black line runs from left to right vertical edge below characters and text; backside is blank with black incised line along bottom edge of the guide; translucent plastic sleeve with single opening for guide. a) lettering guide b) sleeve |
Provenance |
Lettering guide used by employees at the Fraser Valley Regional District [FVRD]. This lettering guide, also referred to as a lettering guide template, is a Leroy 61 0300-50 CL, made by Keuffel and Esser, used to write uniform characters. A lettering guide is used to produce technical lettering which is the process of forming characters in technical drawings, technical lettering is often used by engineers and drafters. There are two types of technical lettering: freehand lettering which is done without the assistance of tools; and, mechanical lettering which is produced using tools such as lettering guides, templates, or using a small mechanical pantograph. Lettering guides are made of laminated plastic with the characters engraved in the face so that the lines serve as guide grooves for the scriber. The height of the characters is provided by a number on the upper right-hand side of the guide. For example, 3240-500 CL indicates a No. 500 lettering guide. The range of character heights offered by a standard set of guides is from 80 (0.08 in. or 5/64 in.) to 500 (0.5 in. or 1/2 in.). The scale at the bottom has the zero in the center and is arranged for proper spacing in relation to character heights. The distance between each scale division represents the center-to-center distance of normal-width letters (https://web.archive.org/web/20100913180753/http://www.tech-writer.net/leroyletteringtemplates.html). Keuffel and Esser, also known as K & E, was founded in 1867 by William J.D. Keuffel and Herman Esser at 79 Nassau Street, Manhattan, New York. Originally selling drawing and drafting supplies, they expanded their trade in 1876 to include surveying instruments and later slide rules in 1891. K & E was acquired by AZON Corporations in 1987. The FVRD (1995 - present) is a local government that delivers over 100 separate services to over 280,000 residents in the Fraser Valley. Services include: fire protection, sewer, water, storm drainage, building inspection, bylaw enforcement, planning, and zoning and development. Communities include eight unincorporated Electoral Areas as well as the municipalities of: Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope, Kent, and Mission. The headquarters is based in Chilliwack at the intersection of Cheam Avenue and Young Road. Employees in the Engineering and the Planning and Development departments, particularly engineers, surveyors, drafters, and GIS technicians, likely used lettering tools such as this lettering guide in their work. |