Decals

Decals and paper engravings, in several forms, used in the application of patterns to china. While the decalcomania process was not introduced at Lenox until 1917, numerous decal templates in this series represent patterns originally introduced prior to the use of decals, and thus many of the dates represent the creation of the pattern, and not the decal itself.

Engravings: Arranged alphabetically by subject depicted.

Prints of bitonal engravings used in the process of transferring patterns onto china pieces. Images depicted include golfers, football players, monks, musicians and colonial scenes, as well as decorative borders. The prints in this series were part of a transfer process, before the advent of decals, which still required hand painting to fill in patterns.

Decals: Arranged in two sequences: alphanumerically by pattern code and alphabetically by pattern name or subject depicted.

Paper-based, color decals used for transferring patterns onto china pieces. The patterns represented are primarily from the post-World War II period, although several decals are present for patterns dating as early as 1919. Included among the paper-based decals are occasional film templates, as well as several photographs of decals annotated with decorating specifications.

Decals filed in the second sequence consist mainly of specialty and giftware patterns, such as antique automobiles, seals of the United States Department of State and Rutgers University, several Temperware patterns, and back stamps for the Boehm Birds and Boehm Woodland Wildlife giftware lines.

One folder illustrates the decal inspection process and offers examples of decals rejected due to defects.

Filed at the end of the sub-series is a notebook of color, mostly floral decals produced by the British firms of Ben Capper, Ltd., and Ratauds, Ltd.

Paper Decal Templates: Arranged numerically by page/plate number.

Bound, black-and-white plates of decal designs for various china patterns. The patterns represented were predominantly introduced prior to 1947, although post-1947 patterns are occasionally present in the final volume. The numerical order of the numbered pages/plates does not correspond to the order of the patterns depicted thereon, with several patterns often appearing on a single page.

The final volume deviates from the organizational scheme of the previous four, with the majority of its numbered plates not in order.

Film Decal Templates (divided into two categories, "General" and "Oxford," each with a separate oversize component): General decals arranged numerically by alpha-numeric pattern code; thereafter arranged alphabetically by pattern name (for patterns without codes), numerically by pattern code (for patterns with strictly numeric codes) or by "steel" number. Oxford decals arranged by alpha-numeric pattern code, numerically by pattern code (for patterns with strictly numeric codes); thereafter by pattern name.

Positive and negative transparencies recording monochrome decal designs for various china patterns. Patterns represented include alpha-numerically coded patterns dating into the 1950s, later named patterns such as Tudor and Venture, specialized china services such as those for the Delaware Fund, Fidelity Mutual, Mutual of Omaha and the Heritage School, giftware such as Lenox's Great Leaders of the World series and patterns from Lenox's Oxford line. Also included among the pattern decals are transparencies of plaque inscriptions and Lenox logo stamps. The decals are present on plastic sheets of various sizes, as well as cut to size and shape.

Patterns introduced prior to 1947 are largely on letter size (8 ½ x 11) or smaller film, while later patterns and Oxford patterns are predominantly on oversize film.

The General category features production patterns, special china services, and occasionally crystal, marketed under the Lenox brand. The Oxford category features patterns created for the Oxford line and includes named patterns (Tivoli, Georgian Court, etc.), as well as coded patterns (i.e., OX72B). The Oxford patterns range in date from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s.