How Paper Boxes Are Made / A practical and instructive book telling how the beginner may manufacture all kinds of paper boxes, with special chapters on the printing department for paper box plants, embossing, gold-leafing, label work, etc.

by Robert F. Salade

IT is the writer’s purpose to devote this chapter to miscellaneous paper boxes that are in popular demand and which may be classed as specialty lines. Important facts about the style and construction of the various kinds of boxes will be given, and by carefully studying this practical information, the reader should be capable of making any of the boxes in question. In some instances, however, it would be necessary to employ the special machinery which will be referred to.

WEDDING, PARTY AND BANQUET BOXES.

For centuries it has been the custom for people attending a wedding reception to receive individual pieces of the wedding cake to take home as souvenirs. It is a pretty custom and doubtless it will remain in vogue until the end of time. Some brides simply wrap the pieces of cake in fancy paper napkins, but those who want to have things done right usually place the bits of cake in fancy paper boxes so as to prevent breakage. Some newly-weds go so far as to have the names of the bride and groom printed or die stamped on the lids of the boxes.

Wedding cake boxes are small in size, and are made in the shape of hearts, diamonds, clover-leaf, fans, etc. Small, plain, round, oval, square or oblong boxes are often used for this purpose, but the odd-shaped boxes mentioned are always the most popular.

In making a heart-shaped wedding cake box, for example, the side-piece of cardboard is placed around a heart-shaped form, after having been stayed together at the two ends. The top-piece, cut out in the shape of a heart of the proper size, is then inserted. After this has been done, the sides of the box are covered with fancy paper, the edges of the paper being turned over at the top and at the bottom. A heart-shaped piece of paper is then pasted on the top of the lid. Both the lid and the box are made in the same way—on forms—only it is not necessary to cover the bottom of the box with a heart-shaped piece of paper.

A box of this kind usually contains a shoulder, both the lid and box being of the same size. The shoulder-piece is set in after the box has been formed and covered. The stock for the top and bottom pieces is lined with colored or white glazed paper before being cut out in the form of hearts. The stock for the side pieces is also lined before being cut to the essential sizes. This means that the box and lid are lined on the inner sides before being made up as described.

HEART SHAPED BOXES.

When a heart-shaped box is to have an extension top and bottom, the top and bottom pieces are put on after the box lid has been made on the forms. The heart-shaped pieces of boxboard which are to serve as extension tops are about ¼ of an inch larger all round than the pieces of heart-shaped board which have properly formed the top of the lid and the bottom of the box. The covering may be done after the extension tops and bottoms have been attached, or the covering may be done before they are attached, but in the latter instance, it would be necessary to cover the extension top and bottom pieces, and their edges, before attaching them.

Other odd-shaped boxes, such as diamonds, clover-leaf, fans, etc., and made on the same plan as the heart-shaped box. Practically all boxes of this variety have shoulders. Some have extension tops and bottoms, others are made plain. The covering is done in fancy colored, glazed, embossed, watered or gloss-white paper. The box usually contains fine paper laces.