The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-25
THE PHILADELPHIA FAIR
The French Department Comps rstive Medi-
ecrity Of Its Exhibits 80 Diseatisfaction
Among Foreign Exbibitors-Siow sales.

Ugh compliments to most Of the French ex-
bibitors but people who have visited the Euro
pean exhibitions will agree that France h 9 been
mu CHI ore richly represented there than she Ia
here. With the exception Of some Goleli
tapestry sent out under the direction Of the
Government, there Is scarcely any product OF
artistic Industry Of a superior kind to be seen in
the French department. The greatest manu-.
facturers seem to have all kept aloof on this oc-
CASTOR, and to have yielded the field to minor
producers. In this way the Exhibition bears
thoroughly commercial character. Everything
exhibited Ia quite acceptable, In many cases
very fine; hut 1t IL all marketable matter, not ar
tistic work.
Take, for instance, the ceramics. The display
OF these Is very large, comprising almost every
description OF earthenware from the most deli
cate porcelain down to unpretentious household
pottery. Yet, the collection does not give any
thing like an idea of the DEVELOPMENT OF the
ceramic arts In France, for really artistic speci-
mems like those of Sevros, for instance, are not
to be seen. The same remark holds good With
reference to carpets and tapestry. There are
some Gobelins 10 the art gallery and two or
three large Aubusson carpets. are offered for
sale at about f4,5O0 apiece in the Main Building,
but that Is ALL 1t Is no exaggeration to say that
France might have sent out ten times as much
as she did in this department and still not give
q notion OF what she 10 up TO In the way Of dec
orative textiles.
The exhibition Of silks. velvets and woolens,
shows ad mrable specimens both OF colors and
designs, and the Arrangement Of the goods ex-
hibited Is highly artistic. But taken as whole
II Ia undoubtedly poor In the sense that II con
veys nothing like a true idea Of the magnitude
Of this industry Of the country. The names OF
the great manufacturers are not to be seen In
the lists OF the EXHIBITORS and the display itself,
had It not been made collectively, would lose
great deal Of the effect II produces now.
The watchmakers, the siversmiths, and the
jewellers have sent very little. the jewellers
scarcely anything. They were evidently afraid
to trust their goods to the hazards OF a long
voyage. But they have sent a large quantity Of
admirable specimens OF imitation jewelry, In
the production OF which France decidedly beats
all other countries. Particular attention Of the
ladies is attracted by collection Of paste fac
SMILES Of the greatest diamonds In the world,
and near by, to some new specim ems Of earrings
and brooches made OF real humming birds and
Brazilian blue Beetles all mounted in gold and
admirably preserved. As far as the exhibition
OF real Jewelry Ia concerned, II Ia to Italy that
the 1rst place must be given in Phliadelphia, II
not for taste work nj aDship, at all events for
tho costliness OF the display. Signor Bellezza,
jeweller TO King Victor Emmanuel, has show
case which contains certainly more valuables
than that OF any other country.
The display OF articles In bronze. enamel
| ebony, and tortoise shell Is both varied and rich
| There are admirable specimens OF Limousin
| enamel work, and an ebony casket Is exhibited
| Of beauty which perfectly warrants the price
| of tlOO0 which Is asked for It. In artistic
| bronzes, NJ. Marchand Is the largest exhibitor,
and though bis crescent shaped enclosure fees
those of Ellington, Tiffany, and the Royal Ber-
lin porcelain factory, the articles he exhibits do
| not seem TO lose any OF their attractiveness. A
| large mautelpiece of black marble, orname nted
| with statues and nigh reliefs in bronze, is I'M
| surpassed ty any other article Of the same kind,
| not even by the famous Russian malachite man.
telpiece for which 1880 is asked.
A truly artistic exhibit which deserved a place
| In the Art Gallery is that OF marine statuary
| maze by NJ. Eugene Blot OF Boulogne-sur Mer.
1t consists Of a nun Der OF red clay figures every
| one OF them modelled by hand with an artistic
| dclicacy Of touch and truthfulness of expression
| which are perfectly charming. The mass OF visit
| tors. however, pass them unnoticcd, because the
statuettes are small aud all OF a uniform red
color which causes people to take them for com.
mon terracottas. A large show case standins
close by OF varieeated Partisan toys and doll,
| seems to turn away everybody's eyes from the
| table on which NJ. Blot makes his exhibition.
As a matter OF course the staple articles Of
French industry. such as gloves, laces, plat,
81 90, and articles de Paris, are very largely rep
resented and In many instances the display II
remarkably ane. Thore is. for instance. Gn ex
tensve show case occupied by the collectiv,
exhibits Of the best hair brush manufactures
and II the English articles OF this class have
higher repu' alton for durability, there can b'
10 doubt that the Partisan workmanship is b.
far more artistic. They do not exhibit the com
mon Kind Of brushes, there being scarcely any
thing except Ivory to be seen and almost ever!
one Of the articles has about 1t the finish OF
work OF art. The plate glass company OF 81
Gobain shows two plates Of s57 inches by III
each, and the visitor, on looking at these tw,
immense pieces Of glass, wonders certainly no
how they were produced but how they coulC
have been brought all the way from France t.
within the enclosures OF Fairmount Park with
out being smashed 10 pieces.
The elegant display which tho French max,
Of mirrors and plate glass makes 1t matter o
surprise that their showcases are SO poori.
glazed The explanation OF this. however, lie
IN the fact that while most OF the exhibition
brought their showcases over, the French, tn,
Begians, and the Swiss had them made here
and Of course as cheaply us possible The mrs
London exhibition taught the French exhibitor
the inconvenience ana Costumes or carrying
their showcases with them, and an agency wa
established which undertakes to supply uniform
showcases to all the exhibitors at SO much
foot. Toe plan worked very well, both at VI
emma ana Paris, and 1t Is said to have saved con
siderable money to the exhibitors in this coun
try. True, this arrangement does not muc
contribute TO the elegance OF the display, tn
showcases being very PLAZA, aud by their uni
formity throwing a shade Of monotony owe
the exhibition. But II has an advantage In tn
fact that the plainness Of the showcase bring
forth TO better advantage the articles exhibited
CAUTIOUSLY enough II is only just now. fully II
weeks after the opening 81 the Exhibition, tina
the display OF the French department has bee
completed, aud that several others, like tn
Russian and Turkish, are beginning to sho'
signs Of vitality. The Russians had AN excuse /
the acct lent which happened TO their steame
and the Turks in the political complication
which befell their country. But the Frencl
who could not plead anything Of the kind weI
accused II negligence IL turns out. howeve
that the negligence was not on their part. I'll
French exhibitors and Commissioners maintai
that all their goods were shipped early in Aprl
in the supposition that one month was quit