The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-16 00:00:00

EDINBURGH ART MANUFACTURE
ASSOCIATION.

The exhibition of this association opened yester-
day, and will remain open for four or five weeks.
In extent it has far outgrown the original idea of
the committee, whose arrangements only extended
at-first to five rooms in the National Galleries ; the
demands for space were so numerous, and many of
the articles sent in of such large dimensions, that
the directors determined to extend the exhibition
over the whole twelve rooms of the building, which
promise to be only just sufficiently large. This ex-
tension of space will probably be of essential ser-
vice to the exhibition, by giving more room to the
visitors, as well as to the articles exhibited. Nearly
all exhibitions are so crowded in every respect,
that half the effect of the objects is lost, and the
condition of the atmosphere is such as to create
weariness and inattention, even in the most stu-
dious visitors.

The collection included nearly all those classes of
articles, in the fabrication of which art forms, or
may form, an element ; and these are classified as
far as circumstances would permit.
The largest area is covered by the class of house
decorations, to which our neighbours across the
Tweed give considerable attention. We cannot say
that all the specimens are good, but many of them
are extremely well executed, and some in excellent
taste.

The collection of jewellery, gold, silver, and
electroplated ware is large, and includes contri-
butions from many well known firms, such as
Hunt and Roskill; Lambert and Rawlings ; El-
kington, Mason, and Co. ; Mackay, Cunningham,
and Co. ; Phillips Brothers ; Marshall and Sons,
&c. _ _

In the class of fictile wares there are good selec-
tions from the productions of Minton, Copeland,
Battam, Chamberlaine, and others, and extensive
contributions by John Millar and others, of Edin-
burgh.
Messrs. Whytock and Co., of Edinburgh, the
well-known manufacturers of tapestry and carpets,
have a small room to themselves, and make a very
admirable exhibition, including one of Tressell's
fringe looms, which will be worked in the exhibition.
Another small room is devoted to a collection of
miscellaneous productions contributed by the East
India Company, and without which no exhibition
would now be considered complete. It must be
confessed, too, that the greater our experience in
the matter of colours, the higher is our estimation
of the mode in which the poor Indians throw to-
gether their brilliant colours, and mix them with
gold, silver, beetles' wings, and other gorgeous
accessories, in harmonious combination.
A • case of books illustrative of binding, ancient
and modern, deserves attention. It contains not
only fine specimens of work, by the most celebrated
binders of the present age, but some very curious
old Bibles and other books ire wood, tortoiseshell,
and other materials, in fine preservation. Many
of these latter have been. contributed by private
individuals ; and this is not the only department
which private collectors have enriched. The Duke
of Hamilton, the Marquis of Breadalbane, the
Lord Chief Justice, Lady Ruthven, Lord Murray,
Sir John M'Neill, Mr. W. T. Thomson, of Edin-
burgh, and other noblemen and gentlemen have
contributed many excellent and some very cut ions
examples of antique furniture, gold, silver, and
plated ware, bronzes, arms, china, glass, tapestry,

The Emperor of the French I,as allowed the
agents of the association to select a number of fine
specimens of porcelain and enamel from the show
roomsat &yr, s, two fine pieces of Gobelins tapestry.
"Christ in the Tomb," after Philippe de Cham
pagne ; and "L'Antonnie," after Lancret ; a fine
example of the " Ta.pis de la Savonnerie ;" and a
fine tableau and several small pieces of the Beauvais
manufacture.

The collection of French manufactures is rather
choice than large, but includes the following emi-
nent firms who have sent some of their finest works:
—Rudolphi and Bachelet, in goldsmiths' ant
jewellers' works ; Fowrdniois, Gueret, and Ribail-
her, and Mazaroz, in wood carving ; Carier,
Deniers, Mene, and Cain, in bronzes ; and Defosse
and Genouse, in paper decorations. In addition
to these are beautiful specimens of parqueterie and
inlaid work, by Orel:tier and Marcelin ; albums,
bound by Despierres ; articles of the curious silver
glass were invented by Grichois ; porcelain mosaics,
by R,ivart ; and, lastly, photographs of objects of
art, by Mr. Bingham, an Englishman, resident in
Paris, and reputed inventor of the Colodion pro-
C®3s.

On Saturday evening the rooms were thrown
open to the subscribers and their friends, and a
very numerous and gay party of ladies and gentle-
men had a private view of the collection. We have
no doubt that the public will appreciate the advan-
tage as much as the subscribers, and that the Ex-
hibition of the Art Manufacture Association. will
be one of the lions of Scotland during Christmas.