New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-03
COLORS AND ART MATERI1LS.

AMERICAN PRODUCTS VERSUS EOi'LI"N'
PROGRESS IL MAKING ARTISTS COLoRs. BRUSHES
AND CANVAsEs-sUCCEss-CL COMPETITIONS WITH
ENGLASD. FRANCE, AID GEmlANY-A GREAT
NEw-YOgK HOUsE-THE MANuIACTORY OF /. W.
DEYOE co.
ANY person passing along Fulton-st. during
the late holiday times had his attention attracted by
q group Of people, constantly changing I'M never III
minisling in numbers, who stood admin 'ht 'ean
tful holiday show window OF T. W. De'oe " co.
dealers in coloIs and artists materials This windo"
rourosents miniature artists studio. The walls are
huns. with rows brushes ana porcelain palrieN bear
ING masses Of rich color, and several Lhpuan Wtrt
with brushes and chises in their hands, are sihs OF
standing in the before easels ana l'd,st'le' upon
which are unfinished paintings ana Sialu'r!' lie
attention which this scene attracts may DE
ro,,,rled "a indicative Of that rapid advance in
artistic taste which ofate has been frequently rcmak ed
in America and especially in the large Eastern cities
The influence Of this aesthetic adNaLC emcnt II seen III
everyday life. Persons who have watched closely the
tendency Of this influence state that very decided
change has come over the why's OF the mid
die and poorer classes. Along with that taste for
music which demands piano or an organ IN the
parlor of almost every worlungman who can afford
the expense, has grown up theY say tt'ie
for household adjournment which makes pciues bronz"s.
and other similar works OF ART necessary ornaments even
n, moor mems houses The same tendency, l is claimed
has improved the architectural style OF buding- II has
penetrated into country districts, and farmers tear down
the old rckety fa-No and barns that Their fore
fathers were Wits, and erect in thc;r places taste
full structures which combine architectural beauty with
usefulness, while their children learn music and in
many cases painting and other artistic empi''m'hts'
Another indication OF growing popular taste 'oF at
is the fact that within few years american manuidc-
tlrcrs have began to make artists co0rs aud materials
OF the finest kind and have been able 90 compete sue
ces,fuly with foreign manufacturers, who formerly han
monopoly o. il's business Tie finn OF I.N. It'or
Co is one OF the largest engaged IN the nari'oIc q"
artists goods in this country, and members OF the
house state Nat the business yearly growing
more extensive ana that holiday gifts artists
materials begin 70 take high rankin popular o. tiu'i"n
At their mandatory IN Ioraiio-t. all kinds o.! paints
excepting water cOorS made They r-3 manufacture
an tie substances and implements used n painting eArh
as brushes canvases, nilboards, DC. a ImGuNA re-
porter recently visited ther works for The purpose of
seeing some the newprocc ofmanuiaotgrc y Which,
within few years. much has been done tO dcN'lopA
new American industry, ana 30 break up The WonoHoJ OF
the trade I'm artists coors and materials formerly held
by few famou foreign firms. The manu.'ciory covers
II CITY lots ON entering Il the visitor T. Immediately
impressed by the unexpected cleanliness and The free
dom from d.sageeabe odors of the interior IN every
department the ucatnrs and pure air ore found
and a perfect system prevails over them all
In the basement OF tho building putty Is
manufactured by machinery. few ycars putty in
this country was made by hand In another room Tin
boxes and tubes TO contain paints and colof., are made
by machinery. About % men are employed in this
work There are also storingrOoms where the paint
which boxed aud ready for sale is deposited nimmc>e
quantities. The dryingrooms, which are heated TO
constant temperature of 1909 f. and in which the cOors
are ranged on shelves Of stats to dry b another mpor
tant part Of the establishment.
But most interesting the processes OF manufac
al pIp nd
within year the fine cOlOs used 10y the best art
lists OF this country almost entirely imported from
the great manufactures OF England, Germany. and
France. Now F. W. DcyOe Co. largely supply Ameri
can artists with coors equally fine, equally permanent
and equally site with imported c0ors and at less cost
The difficulty of properly grinding fine co0rs the
Chief difficulty that prevented their production here It
was thought formerly by American artists that the fOe
eign manufacturers alone possessed tho secret
Of grinding tube cOlOrs, but in this, in
other things, American ingenuity and enterprise
have been able TO Overtake and even su.Ia,s them
At f. W. DevOe Co.'s manuiactory tube" coors are
Ground by machinery while abroad they are mainly
ground by hand and Is claimed that the scadness OF
cbiuerv make the American process Of grinding more
thorough and satisfactory than the foreign The process
looks simple enough but 1t is said to be one requiring
great carcfuncss experience. On round glass slab
i've feet diameter is spread the color 10 be ground
two blocks or mullers Of granite, rounded ~ t9e
edges and very smooth THESE are 1'nhect'd wnh
is driven by steam power As the mullers
pass slowly ami steadily over the slab they
press equally upon every part of 1t. and crush
Inc grains OF color which are spread in layer not more
than the eth part of inch thick intO what would be
but for the oil impalpable dust No humps, however
small or hard, escape Cusng the heavy granite
blocks never slip vary in their aud even progress
over the slab II necessary In this delicate operation
that little heat pos be should bo evolved ana FOR
hSt glass and granite the substances used for
grinding, because the friction between them can be
made very slight The motion IL also made slow for the
purpose OF avoiding The production OF heat
Another branch Of this industry recently transpancd
70 this country is the making Of canyascs and MIL
boards This work IL done entirely by hand aud requires
great skill The cloths Of pure linen Of various
degrees hnoncss imported from the manufactures
Of England. They stretched over stun frames and
with soft brush ergl coats Of white ana very elastic
paint spread evenly them. II especially nccdu
that the paint put upon the canvas should not cruek ~
many fine pictures have been ruined In that way. 10
prevent cracking oil Of wonderful elasticity aud &c
necty II employed In the paint The texture OF the cloth
IL blurred by the coats OF paint Put upon H. Much
cihcnlty has been experienced by artists IN procuring
canYascs OF extra size Tor then larger works Tbs a.
makes speciality Of such work, and produces
OF II o. 80 OF 10 feet In pero If desired Mboars