The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-08-11
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AUGUST ii, ls47.
Wasllington's statue:

Mr. Thos Blanchard, OF Boston, in the Union of last
evening, and have received letter from him by this
mornings mail We shall state the circumstances which
have given rise to this correspondence
Some years since, proposition made in the Wash
ington Glebe TO multiply copies of Washngons statue,
which stands in the centre of the capitol of Richmond
was urged by one of friends with great force that
this was the best statue in the world of lustrious
countryman, and indeed, the best likeness which had
ever been taken of him, because it made by Hou-
donone OF the best scupors of the daywho visited
America for the purpose OF obtaining cast in plaster,
from Washlngtons face, &C. and it highly desira-
Bile to preserve exact copies Of it, lest some unfortunate
accident might destroy the original statue fire had de-
molished Canovas statue in the capitol OF Raleigh.
The proposition did not meet with the attention it de-
served, and fell almost still born, from the press We
did not even repubsh the article in the press which we
then conducted. But circumstances have occurred,
which have again called attention to it, and under
circumstances which calculated to make it partly
cessful
Twelve gentlemen of Boson-and among them the
Appetons and the Lawgenccsobtained, during the last
session OF the Virginia legislature, permission to have
plaster cast taken from Houdons statue The cast has
been taken and has been carried to Boston. There
artist has arisen, OF considerable mechanical genius,
who has invented machine for sculpturing marble
busts of any size Not knowing whether the turning
machine able to sculpture marble out OF softer
serial-a plaster modelwe addressed letter days
ago to Mr. Blanchard, to ascertain whether it could be
ehected and if So whether he could not sculpture a
statue from marble, by introducing the plaster into
his machines stating him. frankly, that if he would turn
his attention to the subject he might be able supply
hans IN ate tha
besides others private citizens of taste and wealth.
In reply this letter, have received the following
from Mr. Blanchard, which we lay before our readers
Boston, August7, 1917.
DEAR Your kind letter received during alb
sence, would have replied it before this time. In
your inquiries in regard to the turning Of marble
busts gives pleasure to be able to say to use no
other model than plaster bust, which answers to
quarter sizes from; and turning some from
Judge Woodbury's bust, which you may have seen in
Washington. am now in pursuit of bust of Washing
and shall probably have copy oil one lately taken
from Houons of Washington, which you speak OF
being at Richmond, Virginia should be pleased TO
show you the operation Of turning busts, and hope may
vet have pleasure. tits sedirectng machine, like
the for turning gun-socks shoe lasts which you may
have 1t be graduated give any sized copy,
the life-sized model; and perfect is the
principle, that can bust medallion fourth Of
inch long, and retain perfect likeness giving all the
neanens of life and maintaining perfect proportion,
in the bust Of full size that use for model have
this day received letter from Mr.. Meehan who informs
me you have papers containing notice of some
other my operations. l giving something of a
biographical notice. In part of the article
crept in, which in speaking of the steam carriage
which built in Springfield. The article says John c..
Calhoun rode with in said carriage 1t should have
been JV b. Calhoun, OF Springfield member of Congress
from Hamden county.
Please let me hear from you again Any information
can give you shall be done with pleasure
THOS. BLANCHARD.
The paper to which Mr. Blanchard refers lisa biograph
ical sketch Of him. which extract from the Boston
Courier We now lay it before readers-peased as
always with the opportunity Of paying due respect
to the ingenuity OF all American artists:
From the Boston Courier.
MACHINE FOR TURNING srATUARY.-One of the most re-
markable inventions of age is that of Mr. Thos Banch
ard Of Boston, turning busts in lathe The art of urn
ing cylinders, balls and anything OF uniform circular FORM
e ana , esseSoy Bna s dea
turning lathe articles deyiatng from circular forms,
appears first blsh prepostcrous and absurd And yet
precisely such machine has been Invented for turning
ms spoes 81 S"s shoe boeEs
tackle blocks, and last though not least nmPortance pst
human head Machines for all these purposes nave
been invented by Mr. Blanchard and Of the latter de-
scpton is in full and successful operation in Boston
long been practsed and they may be produced OF Lead
brass iron, bronze any other maleabe substance as
But the idea of turning buss from beautiful marble
by machinery and steam power in any Quantities and OF
single model is truly astonishing, and would never have
been dreamed of but by creative genius like that OF Thos
Blanchard. Imagine, gentle reader, steam engine in
rapid NOTION whirling round, and turning out the human
face divine, with chin, lips forehead eyes,
neck breast and shoulders perfect proportion and
accuracy Imagine such eccentric machine,
and YOU will have idea of the wonderful stretch of
invention which conceived and completed such faculty
Such wonderful machine is now in successful opera
in Boston and if any patron of genius, inqui-
ring mind any person, will take the trouble search, he
can see bust OF Daniel Webster rapidly revolving in one
end of lathe and the other he will ac stmtc heads
of the great expounder, OF any desired Sizes turned out
from marble by machinery
When Of these heads was presented to Mr. webster,
and he was informed by what process IL produced, he
exclaimed, astonishmen that it the most wonder
imagine such art2 Description is OF the ques
ton He who doubts would understand it, must see for
himself have it, and there II open to the nspcc-
of any respectable inquirer Such reserved
for the inventive genius OF America the nineteenth CEN
fury.
Busts of his honor Judge Woodbury., of the Supreme
United States have also been turned from the
lathe; and those who familiar with the face OF
the learned nudge, attest the accuracy OF the likeness
What equally curious busts and canoes may be turned
the model into limitations of any sizes,
from colossal miniature face suitable for lady 3
brooch.
us now pass from the busts of these distinguished
transformations gentleman who the inventor
of the machine.
Thomas Blanc hard born in Sutton, Massachusetts,
in l778 He been the originator OF useful things
besides the lathe turning multorm objects His
venve genius early developed AT the OF thirteen
WELL and was much used in the village where he then
lived
His next invention was that of machine for making
lacks At the of fourteen he was employed by his
elder brother, with other boys manufacture lacks Inc
mode OF operation wasaer cutting thin plates OF iron into
minute PARTICLES points of suitable size for acksto take