Photographs, Records & Personal History in Glass

Some of the most interesting commissions begin with material that already has a history.

Family photographs, handwriting, maps, scorecards, tickets, letters and archive documents can all provide the starting point for a piece designed around the material itself.

We assess the source material, consider what can be retained or prepared for engraving, and develop the composition in relation to the glass and the way the finished piece will be displayed.

Source Material We Work With

  • Vintage black and white photograph showing two women walking on a city street, with one in a dark coat and hat carrying a bag and the other in a long coat and hat carrying a basket.

    Family Photographs

    Original and scanned photographs can be prepared for inclusion within framed compositions, allowing photographic material and engraving to form part of the same piece.

  • Handwritten 'Happy Birthday' message on a white background submitted for engraving

    Handwriting & Letters

    Selected passages, signatures and handwritten records can be prepared for engraving while retaining the individual character of the original hand.

  • A close-up of a vintage topographical map or land survey drawing, showing field boundaries, roads, and small blue and red details on aged beige paper.

    Maps & Property History

    Historic maps, plans, architectural drawings and property records can provide source material for commissions connected with a particular building, landscape or place.

  • A set of golf-themed printed materials laid on a dark gray background: a transparent scorecard insert, a white card with a red rose and black golf club graphic.

    Scorecards & Sporting Records

    Original scorecards, signatures, results and related material can be developed into engraved compositions recording a particular round, event or achievement.

  • scooterist wedding invitations

    Tickets & Ephemera

    Concert tickets, travel tickets, programmes, invitations and other surviving printed material can provide visual and documentary elements within a wider composition.

  • A scanned printed roster or lineup sheet showing multiple names and numbers in a tabular format, with no clear product presentation, person, or environment.

    Club & Archive Material

    Ledgers, photographs, crests, documents and other archive material can be assessed for commissions exploring the history of a club, organisation or community.

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From Source Material to Glass

Source material rarely arrives ready for engraving. Photographs may require preparation, handwriting needs to be assessed at engraving scale, and historical records may contain only part of the material needed for a finished composition.

These examples show how different sources can be assessed, prepared and developed for display in glass.

  • Family photographs and original handwriting combined in a bespoke engraved glass frame

    Family Photographs & Handwriting

    Family photographs and handwritten accounts were prepared and brought together within a framed composition, combining archival print with handwriting engraved onto the glass above.

  • Engraved glass wall plaques with silver metal stand-offs and mounting hardware, Each plaque is illustrated with historic maps, tithe ledgers and supporting paragraph information.

    Maps & Property History

    Historic maps, property records and documentary material can provide the basis for a composition developed around a particular building or place. This design study explored how separate historical sources could be interpreted together within a wall mounted glass plaque.

  • Engraved golf scorecard wall plaque with silver-toned corner brackets, featuring a golf course logo, player details, a scorecard table, and a signature line.

    Scorecards, Signatures & Sporting History

    A signed golf scorecard was reproduced alongside the clubhouse and club crest to create a freestanding glass composition recording a particular round and achievement.

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From the Studio

Articles exploring photographs, handwriting, records and other source material developed for display in engraved glass.

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Have Source Material You Would Like Us to Consider?

If you have photographs, handwriting, records or other material you would like us to consider for a glass frame or display plaque, tell us a little about what you have and what it relates to. We will review the material and assess what may be possible in glass.

Related Works & Reading

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