The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-04-08
oorrEsssoSor A ERIC CDRAIxs.
Clever lahtaaisns ~ CislssanS 80 lvssy-
Jspsaese 0ssAs Made In Dirninghaa.

Clever Hahtaaisns ~ Cisassans ~ lvsry-
Jspsaese 0ssAs Msae In Dirniaghaa.
"A word as 10 buying cheap limitations Of
articles which arc not suscs ptible of being
fairly reproduced" said the old dealer In bric-
h-brac. To purchase an imitation OF cioisonns
ware. for example. Is to make bad error In
taste. FOR its beauty depends. not upon Its form
or color. but upon Its exquisite handiwork. a
quality Of which no imitation can give the least
idea. Here IL q piece Of imitation Japanese
cloisonnf. 1t 10 Of copper. Ike the genuine.
and. for cheap enamel has a rich appearance.
Now examine Il beside an original piece. The
imitation. you observe. becomes dull and taw
dry looking. and the colors do not appear fresh
or distinct. 1t Is, however in it's base imita-
ton OF tracery that the thing shows out really
false and abominablc; tho lines Of gold or brass
are daubed on with brush. In tho genuine
article the markings between the colors and all
Of the traceries are firm aud clear for the point
in cloisoane 10 to tool little cutters OF metal In
the copper. and press In the fine wires. golden
or brazen. No imitation can give any idea Of
the effects to DO gained In this way.
The bit OF Imitation cloisOnns have shown
you Is OF homo manufacture and Ia bad enough
to protect tho buyer; the really dangerous imi-
tations are made by tho Japanese themselves;
for it is u Sad fact that tho American demand
for cheap art goods has dcnoralzed the best
artists In tho world in this kind OF work. Be-
ware OF cois0u!e. The most deceptive thing
In brio h-brac j ever saw WAS n so-called
cloisoms vase sold as damaged, Tho injury
consisted al q break in the metal only half an
inch long. but sufficient to disclose the. fno
threads OF the tracery. which had in fact been
ceptible of perfect repair, tho object brought
high price. On examination it was found that
apart from the threads laid bare. there was not
single cloisonne wire in the vase; an the rest
OF the tracery had been painted on, the break
having been especially made to show a con-
struction which did not exist in fact. The
article was worthless.
There is ono point in the purchase Of BRIG
a-brac in which We Americans are egrcgiously
deceived. We. import large quantities OF sew
eral kinds Of Japanese and Chinese art goods
which had previously beer imported into those
countries from tho anufactorics OF Birming-
ham. England The fact does not sneak well
for our. Wanted acutchoss. Even the ham,
but clumsy specimens OF English stamped
work. Birmingham manufacturers do not OBJ
Ject TO helping one halt the world TO deceive the
other hal II. provided the material part OF the
"ls fe %?S II fr s%R; they show
boldncss in the manufacturing OF sham art
work which exceeds all thcir proverbial impu-
dsne nee, in turning out ah,et,ron r1I a Some
r S lew a ar II
New. York TOR them and many an old Dutch
earring knife under fancy name found it's
their mnntcipcces. The SheNlnld manufac-
turers noted tho demnnd. and We were soon
uoOucG Win an ullSeeinly lot OF polished IRON.
Twas obliged TO kccp some Of II. We had terri
BILE looking cork.crpw swords, Turkish cme-
ter1 weighing twelve pounds, flashing cntliss-
foils and Damascus and Toledo blades in abun-
dance. They were mere TOYS harmless things
that would hardly penetrate cloth, tat they
sold ut high prices. Let mo show you "A true
blade. Here IL 4 fine Toledo dagger, ex-
Small aG AND %pa don oas ne
point: yet wncn, l place this English penny
piece on tho table-s99-l cnn drive that point
unnjured. blow like that would bend up
those Damascus dgEsers from Sheffield like SO
place to a passion for collecting bad ircarms-
when they go OF by aeciieni. some Of the old
qy s@sd ea%T h shop d dsass
an Order lad ye to sS for @
dozen ivory diptychs md an assortment Of
Etrusean carvings That was ABOUT the most no.;
tatcd ~ first. but grew amazingly cheerful rs
Thought Of my customers gree nncss Some
old or new. in cxs;enco OF ont Of L. II is true
that some fine specimens of ivory taken from
Brtish Museum has dozen d them. and some
are extant which were known to be in ex-
istence AZ the time, of Moses. But US to buying
them as you would n bootjack--
"A diptych. you know consists Of two carved
ivory covers, each from : to \ inches long and
Tor writing tablets and tho Romans gave them
t. Consuls for presents tina, is how the filsh-
ion arose OF giving portfolios TO Cabinet Min:
isterS. They were rare even in their day and
us the iconocasts destroyed all the ivory cary
ings they could lay their hands on. you may
time Even European museums count them
selves fortunate when they possess half a one {;
would have made bad hole in his fortune.
l think il WAS IN the srrinE OF '76 that q
greatly d!lapidatod fellow called on me and
door and took from under his coat ii-inch
d,ptyrh which, he offered to soil lor d 800
Had he offered me the Vatican or ST. Peters
for u ike sum shouldn't have been more sur
prised. knew there was .soncthinG wrong
tnt could net say where ere Tho mark Of age
nifying E,ass wonderfully we'll. When at ast
determined otake OF the frame and hacking,
me not to expose him: he had stolen il from a
Inyian monastery he said. 1t proved - be
and fairly well cut ?' i hal BEEN %
irr garnet in Pisa by n man who makes bust
ness OF 1t. | let the fellow 60: he did not lie
and was only like MS. selling goods Tor some
thing else than what they are. Tho rascal also
ces worth only about $50. Five S years inter-
ward 1 saw one Of them n a wnil- known private
library IN Thirty-fourth street. bat made no
siEnn;,
ton ivory carvings Sonietimeeths material is
pors. md pressed into moulds. 1t is then
stained for age, cut. filed. otherwise tortured
INTO shape. ana. attcrIDcing fllled in with ccm-
ent. is backed with AN ivory veneer and
offered for sale. Relief figures are made from
then cast and polished. But lack OF iusIre and
grain bctrays them to careful observers. II you
buy Japanese cabinet work, ornamented
with raised ivory carvings handle 1t carefully
for sharp rnp will often powder tho bogus
ivory. Look out. too, for imitation r,oiher-of-
namental art. and Liable To damaging accidents
upon very small provocaton."
SPORTING NOTEy