The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-07-19
John Rogers, Statuettes.

So much interest has been shown in the
manufacture of Mr.. Rogers groups, and so
little information has been published on the
subject, that brief sketch of the process is
here subjoined:
Starting with the ideas which have etched
themselves upon the sculptor's mind, we find
their first embodiment in moistened clay, the
erudities of which rapidly disappear under the
skillful manipulations of his moulding stick.
1t is in the laborious working-up of this mate
rial that his power and patience are most
apparent. Here it is, in fact, that he stamps
upon them the imprint of his genius, and
throws into them all that marvel of expression
which delights our hearts, and that anatomical
detail which has borne scrutiny so we'll. From
tne Clay is taken cast in plaster, which Is fin
lshed by MIR. Rogers with the most scrupulous
care. With the exception of his constant and
conscientious supervision there is now longer
any connection between himself and the groups
as we can see them. The plaster is sent to the
foundry, where, at great expense, it is cast
in bronze, this cast being reserved by him as
the model from which are made the future
moulds for the reproduction of the design.
Before leaving the foundry it is again finished
by an experienced workman. So particular is
Mr.. Rodgers about this portion of the process
that it is often four months before it is com.
pleted. although bronze is very susceptible to
detail IN casting, in which respect, indeed,
neither plaster nor marble begins to compare
with it. In order to see the remainder of this
process we must go to the factory. Here, up
two flights OF stairs in little back room, are
half dozen clever workmen-Italians to q
man-to whom an apprenticeship to similar
Wnrk in hn land ~E nIs s-oI
given monopoly of this sort of thing. Scat
tered around the room are dismembered Rip
Van Wrinkles, headlesS scouts, and a generous
distribution OF fragmentary figures In all stages
OF finish. In one corner is a quantity of what
seem seer to be pottery relics from Golgos or the
Nile, but which we are informed are plaster
casts for the moulds. Each of these casts is
divided into nearly equal parts, within which
the bronze cast is admitted and the interstices
filled with LIQUID glue, which in the course of
twelve hours congeals to the consistency of, q
rubber shoe. The cast being now taken off the
glue mould is left. entirely covering the bronze.
1t is then cut open with knife sufficiently to
allow it to be pulled off the bronze (now no
longer necessary except for other moulds), and
is restored to the cast, the parts of which are
bound together tightly by cords and rowel-pins,
and all is ready for the final cast. Meanwhile
the material of the groups has been nixse
with water so as to make o thi4odncsd
into which the coloring isainin@ The
mould @ond ifsastapg e ss nTfeRYted TRt sad the mixture
poured in, care bling taken that it fills every
niche and Granny. Wires are introduced to
give strength to thefraler parts, and after half
an hour standing, he moulds are removed.
| The glue mould il French invention, and
possesses many Advantages over plaster, re-
| quiring fewer pieces 1.-THE cast, and being elias
tic, SO that it Is renewable without injuring
any Of the delicate suface projection. Each
Of The statuettes is cast from three to eight
pieces, and in each piecs wherever the mould
| has before bsen cut, ther. will be more or less
| of seam 1t is the workof the finshers to
| remove all traces of these nd any other blem-
| ishes formed in casting an joining, and to
| give the figures the final toches. The groups
| are detained q week in quarntine at the dry
| ing room, and then taken fo week to the col
oring room where they udergo a process
| which gives them their uniorm clay-colored
| appearance, and hardens tn, surface SO that
they will bear washing as veil as Parian it
| self.
Last of all they are storedawg in capacious
fourth floor to await a market, are carefully
! packed with sawdust in boxes lade expressly
| for the purpOse-so carefully, ideed, that, in
credible as it may seem, not mon than one in
| five hundred is ever broken i transit, such
ones being always replaced by th,sculptor.