twenty-eight-piece Leroy Lettering kit
Date: circa 1962
Inventory Number: 1989-4-0016
Classification: Lettering Set
Subject:
Maker: Keuffel & Esser Company (1867 - 1987)
Cultural Region:
Dimensions:
case: 5.5 × 41 × 13.5 cm (2 3/16 × 16 1/8 × 5 5/16 in.)
Accessories: green cardboard storage box
mohagony storage box
instruction card inside lid of box
five small instruction pamphlets
Leroy Lettering guide
DescriptionThe lettering instruments are stored in a rectangular mahogany box which is, in turn, stored in a green, rectangular cardboard box. The former opens along two hinges attached along one of the long sides of the box. There are two brass hooks screwed to the front of the bottom half of the mahogany box that fit into to brass loops attached to the front of the lid to keep the box closed. The inside of the box is stained with a slightly lighter shade than the outside. Inside, there are several mahogany pieces keeping the instruments in place.
The lettering set contains 28 pieces. There are ten white, rectangular, plastic letter templates. Three of large length, four of medium length, and three of small length. Each template contains a series of letters and/or numerals etched shallowly in black symbols on the white plastic. There is a black groove along the full length of the bottom of each template.
There are eleven Leroy Pens, labeled 000, 00, 0, 1, 2,..., 8. The thickness of the line drawn with the pen increases with the number. There is a sample line of each pen size on the instruction card inside the lid of the box. The pens are small, metal cylinders held in place, each in its own drilled hole, inside the bottom of the box. There are two additional Leroy pens not stored directly in the box frame but rather in small green-colored cylinders, one marked 1233-1 and 1233-3. Each pen has a cleaning pin on top that can be used to keep the ink running smoothly during use.
The set also contains a Leroy Scriber. The Scriber is a mechanical tracing device for transferring letters from the template onto paper. It consists of a metal, isosceles triangle. At the vertex of the two equivalent, long edges, there is a black plastic ball. Underneath, there is a trail pin that fits into the groove along the bottom of each template, to guide the tracing motion. There is a sharp metal pin at one of the remaining vertices and it traces the letters or numbers in the template that a user is reproducing. At the final vertex, there is a holder for a single Leroy Pen and a black knob for adjusting the placement of the pen on the surface below. There is also a black-handled pen holder for free hand-pen use.
The set contains a Leroy Pen holder, consisting of a black plastic prism base with a metal cylinder on top. There is a small plastic canister containing pieces of led that can also be attached to the Scriber so that it will write in pencil instead of ink. Finally, there is a black plastic molded stand, possibly for the Scriber. Inside the lid of the mahogany box, there are instructions for use.
The lettering set contains 28 pieces. There are ten white, rectangular, plastic letter templates. Three of large length, four of medium length, and three of small length. Each template contains a series of letters and/or numerals etched shallowly in black symbols on the white plastic. There is a black groove along the full length of the bottom of each template.
There are eleven Leroy Pens, labeled 000, 00, 0, 1, 2,..., 8. The thickness of the line drawn with the pen increases with the number. There is a sample line of each pen size on the instruction card inside the lid of the box. The pens are small, metal cylinders held in place, each in its own drilled hole, inside the bottom of the box. There are two additional Leroy pens not stored directly in the box frame but rather in small green-colored cylinders, one marked 1233-1 and 1233-3. Each pen has a cleaning pin on top that can be used to keep the ink running smoothly during use.
The set also contains a Leroy Scriber. The Scriber is a mechanical tracing device for transferring letters from the template onto paper. It consists of a metal, isosceles triangle. At the vertex of the two equivalent, long edges, there is a black plastic ball. Underneath, there is a trail pin that fits into the groove along the bottom of each template, to guide the tracing motion. There is a sharp metal pin at one of the remaining vertices and it traces the letters or numbers in the template that a user is reproducing. At the final vertex, there is a holder for a single Leroy Pen and a black knob for adjusting the placement of the pen on the surface below. There is also a black-handled pen holder for free hand-pen use.
The set contains a Leroy Pen holder, consisting of a black plastic prism base with a metal cylinder on top. There is a small plastic canister containing pieces of led that can also be attached to the Scriber so that it will write in pencil instead of ink. Finally, there is a black plastic molded stand, possibly for the Scriber. Inside the lid of the mahogany box, there are instructions for use.
Signedguide books marked: KEUFFEL & ESSER CO.
in white letters on red label on side of green cardboard storage box: K + E
engraved on black plaque on front of mohagony storage box: K + E LEROY / KEUFFEL & ESSER CO.
written in black lettering on card inside lid of box: KEUFFEL & ESSER CO.
engraved on each instrument: K + E
engraved in gold letters on the pen holder: K + E
in white letters on red label on side of green cardboard storage box: K + E
engraved on black plaque on front of mohagony storage box: K + E LEROY / KEUFFEL & ESSER CO.
written in black lettering on card inside lid of box: KEUFFEL & ESSER CO.
engraved on each instrument: K + E
engraved in gold letters on the pen holder: K + E
Inscribedin white lettering on label on side of cardboard storage box: LEROY / LETTERING SET / 11 TEMPLATES / CAPS, LOWER CASE & NUMBERS / ADJ. SCRIBER AND 11 PENS / MADE IN U.S.A.
in black lettering on label on side of cardboard storage box: 612900 OLD / 3245-15L
written twice on inside of lid: Astronomy Dept. '62-'63
written in black type at top of label inside lid of box: LEROY LETTERING
written in black type at the bottom of label inside lid of box: S18-2--Printed in U.S.A.
in black lettering on label on side of cardboard storage box: 612900 OLD / 3245-15L
written twice on inside of lid: Astronomy Dept. '62-'63
written in black type at top of label inside lid of box: LEROY LETTERING
written in black type at the bottom of label inside lid of box: S18-2--Printed in U.S.A.
FunctionThe Leroy Lettering kit permits the user to trace letters and numerals from templates on to the surface. Various sizes and shapes of upper- and lower-case letters are available. In order to reproduce the letters, users can fix the Leroy Scriber onto a template such that the trail pin is fixed in the groove along the bottom. The user then traces the letter or numerals etched into the appropriate template with the Scriber pin. The Scriber transfers the motion to the Leroy pen or lead attachment which subsequently draws the identical symbols on the surface below. Users can reproduce several letters subsequently from the same template and the trail pin-groove assembly will keep the lettering straight. At each letter size, the full Roman alphabet is available in upper- and lower-case, the numerals from 0 - 9 are available, as well as the following symbols (separated by a space): " ' , . % =
Curatorial RemarksOriginal curatorial information indicates that the lettering set originated in Hoboken, New Jersey. Keuffel & Esser is, however, based in New York and it is not clear how the origin was determined to be Hoboken.
ProvenanceUsed in the Astronomy Department at Harvard University from the academic year of 1962-1963. Donated by Owen Gingerich from the Harvard University Observatory, Garden Street, Cambridge MA. on November 7, 1989.