The sun., 1878-09-29
AS AMERICAN SUCCESS IN PARIS.

Tho inventive cHpnct ics of our people have long
since been recognized by the whole world. and
our machinery is eagerly sought for every
where. But we have achieved another and
quite unexpected success. The triumph Of
Mcssrs. Tiffany & Co.. at Paris has established
our superiority In the most artistic branch Of
industry. While showing that 1t can furnish
ust rs fine and highly finished work rs tho
most celebrated jewellers and silvcrsmiths OF
Europe. the great Union Square House has been
recognized as displaying more taste and orig
nality oi design, form. and composition. than
oil Its European competitors. The siversmith
branch OF Messrs. TifIauy's exhibits proved an
actual revelation to the jury as we'll as the
large number OF connoisseurs. who daily
crowded around these admirable works. The
nrm gained the highest awards and has been
literally covered with houors.
1t would be absurd to say that Tiffany's wares
surpass those OF ELLINGTON. Odiot. or Chris
to1e in mechanical excellence of construction.
AL these firms. and several others whose wares
we're exhibited side by side with those OF
Messrs. Tiffany. have an old-establishcd and
wcll-descrved reputation for solid. honest. and
highly-inished work. But none OF them has
shown anything novel. Their exhibits were
spendidly executed. but they were conventional
In form, design. and composition. Noprogress
seems TO have been made by any OF them since
the Vienna and the Philadelphia Exhibitions.
The exhibits of Messrs. Tiffany. on the other
hand. proved to be not only now and original
but perfectly unique The originality here was.
however. not 80 much originality Of type. ms Of
method and detail. for the new models and pat.
terms are nearly all composed from studies Of
japanese decoration. The vast resources of
Oriental ornamentation have thus been turned
INTO new channel with n surprising amount Of
The ava ~
tired OF the old models and the Grand Prize
was unanimously awarded to the enterprisng
American innovators.
This great success was the result OF long and
expensive studies and experiments The house
had special agent sent out to Japan to study
the secrets Of this branch OF Japanese art. In
mense collections Of models have been made
and with the aid OF asuperior knowledge Of
chemistry. the whole subject was worked up ~
perfection which surprise tho japanese
themselves. Their commissioner at Paris
bought several articles coming from tho New
York workshops. and had them sent out to his
country MS models OF superior art. This refers
chiefly to the, element OF combined coors which
Messrs. Tiffany have succeeded In producing
by means OF allows.
The metallic compositions called alloys, being
capable Of retaining colors make it practicable
TO produce al shades Of red purple. blue. gray.
green. yellow. and brown in the ornamentation
oil isilverware. the colors being made as endur-
Ing as silver ITSELF The results obtained In this
way surpass. as far as artistic effect goes the
Rorgeousness OF the extravagant ancient times
when solid sculptured gold silver ivory. and
Jewels were combined in the great chrysele-
phantine works.
Another new element introduced by the
American firm consists OF the laminatcd met
ais. IN which several metallic compounds are
worked up. mechanically. not chemically. to-
gether. each OF them retaining its Original pu-
rity. The effect thus produced is somewhat
similar to that of the grain of the costliest kinds
OF wood, or fine vened marbles. Used in com
bination with the colored alloys. the laminated
metals give the jeweler and the silversmith a
perfectly inexhaustible supply of constantly
fresh and varying material.
Still another innovation which Messrs Tif-
fany obtained from their studies OF Japanese
art is the metallic enamel called the niello. BY
means OF this process the devices are laid into
the surface of the metal. instead OF being
wrought upon H. The finest lines as well us
large masses OF enamel can thus be worked
with equal facility. The enamel is inserted
In the shape Of u metallic oxyde and then fused
BY fire into u homogeneous mass. After that.
the enamel and the silver surface are stoned
smooth. The devices thus formed are literally
indestructible. niello enamel being possessed
OF the same bending capacity as silver.
The articles thus manufactured are cOnse-
Quenty safe from any injury from blow and
knock.
Pure metals. such as gold copper or iron.
are also inserted in this way. and their use. in
conjunction with the nieo renders it possible
" produce endless varieties OF beautiful and
everlasting polyeh romatic effects
The ornamental devices formed OF the colored
alloys consist mainly OF natural objects such as
birds. flowers. fishes. insects. or foliage. They
are separately wrought and superenforced upon
the surface Of tho body OF silver article by
means OF q blow pipe.
The wealth OF new kinds OF decoration with
the combination Of all the methods open to tho
silversmith and the goldsmith is simply in-
calculabe. and 1t Is mainly by the revela-
uon OF these new methods OF ornamental
ton that Messrs. Tiffany * Co. won their
prizes at the Worlds Fair score of years
ago 1t was usual in this country TO send
TO Europe for any fine piece OF jewery or valu-
able piece Of plate. To-day all this is changed.
The dining rooms OF the most elegant houses in
Paris make Il boas: OF Tiffany's silverware.
The Prince of Wales wears Tiffany scarf
pin The Princess wears Tiffany japanese
brooch. The Berlin Museum has purchased,
s'ASNNA Aci' i@NoSllk, u btN VI many IcpIO-
duetions Of the treasures found 10y Gen. di Ces-
hola at Cyprus. and duplicate Of the same col
lection has been ordered for Vienna. The list
OF purchasers Of Tifany's exhibits includes tho
most sonorous names Of Europe. The Duchess
OF Hamilton the Marquis dc Galere. the Mar
qus Of Bath all the Rothschilds. the Count Of
Flanders the Prince and Princess OF Wales.
Prince Leopold. Prince Kadzivill. several Rus
sian Grand Dukes. the Countess Walewska. and
scores Of other not less illustrlous names are
upon the account and order books OF the now
worldwide celebrated firm.
The awards which Messrs. Tiffany 4 Co.
themselves gained amount. strictly speaking. 10
only two; but the medals and other distinctions
bestowed upon their workmen must bo consid-
cred as SO many prizes won by the house. The
total OF the awards are as follows:
!. Grand prize tor si,vcrware
Gold medal for ieNery.
Gold medal Ia Nj + G. Moore. partner Of the hrm
street
silver medal to Mr. Groscan. head craftsman VI the
a.sigihig room Of the same workshop
4 .. Bronze medal 10 Mr. Dimes. al.Oyer and meter
Do 10 Mr.. Heller. dic siuAtr
HONORABLE mention TO Mr treble die sinkeh
b DO tu Mr