Porcelain photographs have been recognized and used on memorial headstones and monuments for decades now. Starting in the early 1800’s these memorial portraits were mainly used on European monuments and in Black and white. During the migration of Europeans coming to America they brought this feature with them. Today with the advent of color printers such as Ricoh style printers. They are being converted to print using special toners that can be fired in kilns for that life time image. These pictures are immune from fading in direct sunlight and will not corrode when fired on pure porcelain cameos. Steel backed cameos may present some concerns for corrosion when used in very moist and ocean close areas.
Pure Porcelain Cameos
Today the portrait of choice is the pure porcelain tile that is used as the base for the cameo. The image once printed on special flux paper and transferred to the porcelain disc is then fired in the kiln. Other technologies employ a steel blank that has been treated with a porcelain coating and the image is then printed and fired. These different processes yield somewhat different results for sharpness, color and life time in the field.
When using these images or porcelain cameos in the field and in cemeteries around the world they add a personal impact to the tribute of the person it represents for years to come.
Both Types of Cameos
We at American Headstones Company sell both types and install them flush on to the face of the marker. Cemeteries such as El Toro memorial Park, Santa Ana Cemetery, Rose hills and many others in Southern California allow the use of these pictures when mounted flush to the tops of the stone.
Pure porcelain blank tiles are sold for anyone interested in printing cameos using the special toners along with special flux paper. We have a large selection of these tiles for sale.
Granite monuments, flat markers or headstones can be custom designed to accept several of these in the design phase. What is generally done is a 1/8” depression that is blasted into the stone and with traditional adhesives and silicones these are mounted flat to the surface. For more information on purchasing blank porcelain tiles call us at American Headstones Company.
