Porcelain Enamel - A Fascinating Story

Porcelain enamel has been widely used for signs during the last 150
years, but enameling actually dates back over 2000 years.When you look
at the fresh, modern look of an enamel sign it is hard to believe that
the art of enameling metal is actually one that has been around for
thousands of years. The same techniques that are used to make strong,
colorful house plaques, address numbers and door signs have been used
by many different cultures to create jewelry and other decorative
items.The process of creating an enamel sign, door sign or house
plaque involves placing powdered glass on a metal backing and firing
it at a high temperature. At high temperatures the glass will melt and
fuse with the background. This creates a surface that is glossy and
because the colors are an intrinsic part of the enamel they will not
fade or dull over time. This gives them a distinct advantage over
signs that are painted or which use other manufacturing techniques but
which may be prone to fading or weather damage.Although porcelain
enamel is often placed on a metal backing when creating modern pieces
it was not uncommon to find items that had enamel areas on a base of
pottery and stone. This is because the act of applying powdered glass
to a backing and then firing it could produce a coating that was
durable, brilliantly colored and able to handle a variety of different
uses. Items that use a metal base often had the advantage of being
more durable than an item made from pottery.In its earliest history,
porcelain enamel techniques were used to create decorative and
religious items. In the Middle Ages, it was not uncommon to find items
that included the use of precious and semi-precious stones in the
design. Some of the most famous enameled decorative items include
Faberge eggs which are known for their intricate enamel work and use
of precious gems. Many people are familiar with jewelry pieces that
use the cloisonn� technique which involves the creation of enameled
areas that are separated by thin metal wire.Because porcelain enamel
techniques do produce such a glossy, flawless finish it is no wonder
that they were used for display items such as signs and address
numbers. In the 1850's, European craftsmen were just beginning to
create enamel signs. They soon became very popular and it was not
unusual to find them on many houses and businesses in cities
throughout Europe. They were expensive and time consuming to produce,
however, and slowly the process of hand enameling became rarely used.
Modern enameling techniques still involve mixing clear glass powder
with small quantities of metal oxides before firing in order to create
the beautiful colors which these pieces are known for.Now, the
interest that people are showing in hand enameling is growing again.
For anyone who is interested in purchasing a sign or set of house
numbers which are beautiful, intricately crafted and extremely durable
the choice is clear.