Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-27
SKuLFUL CERAAISTS.
COOKING AND WATCHING COSTLY
VASES FOR FORTY HOURS.

Workers Men Of Great Attachments.
The Making OF Presentation Pieces
French porcelain proper is the result 81
discovery made early in the Eighteenth CEN
fury by one Louis Posegat, . poor faience
maker OF Rouen, and is q preparation Of
mineral salts, mostly those Of soda and silica,
which, properly compounded, may be worked
into the stif dough required for the most
complicated and delicate molding. Ii is
| only since the discovery and wide applica-
| ton Of the artificial material that science
has been brought Ito bear upon the natural
| product OF kaolin, and carried its uanufact-
ure to a scale Of perfection which permits 10
| to vie in its own specisl province with In
much more fragile and delicate compeer.
| IL will thus be seen that two distinct spe-
cies of raw material are in use BY the ma
| tional mandatory Of Sevres, and il may be
| further explained that the terms pate tenirs
| and pate dur, meaning soft and hard paste"
refer TO the main contrast between the two
varieties of porcelain indicated. inasrnrch as
the artificial product is, by its extreme fra
| gihty, incapable of service In the gigantic
presentation pieces. such as. Of the natural
earth, have given the establishment its great
est renown II confined By It's great delicacy
/ to the evolution of articles OF small dimen-
sion the finer pate has stil its claims to supe-
riority, for the colers and enameling applied
/ to it when in the furnace so melt together
and form part of she solid fabric as 10 create
a limpidity. softneSs and brilliancy Of glaz-
| ing absolutely unrivaled
! The process of manufacture OF costly vases
/ and other forms turned out Of the workshops
/ at Sevres differs only III the sublime degree
to which has been raised the quality of art,
/ material and mechanism employed, from tho
I operations OF the most primitive potters of
/ antiquity, and exactly the same succession Of
| movements must DO followed. A mass Of
prepared plaster Is placed by the first oPer-
/ ator upon his revolving table or wheel TO
which he gives rapid motion by means OF a
| treadle While under the pressure Of his
naked hands the lump gradually assumes
succession OF meaningless forms which rise
and fail, spread, contract, broaden or length
/ en- in turn until thoroughly kneaded into the
proper consistency for the final effort. When
| in tho Judgment of the operator the right
/ moment has arrived, the car eieSs play OF his
/ fingers is arrested into a mere decided pres
sure, and from the shapeless pile rises rs II
/ by magic the outline of a vase or urn in one
OF the countless varieties to which art gives
! license.
TIE TOUCHES THAT TELL
When the piece has assumed clean and
| definite form the motion Of the wheel is
/ auickened, and with u series Of delt and skill
tul touches the operator follows carefully
within and without tho delicate curves o. his
sketch which be accfntuates and deepens
until without further doubt as To its ideu-
tity, the thus far completed work stands
ready for treatment at the hands Of artists
possessing no mean reputation. Brought 10
this point the vase" we will say, is still on
the table upon which &c took definite form,
laid aside for several DAYS, during which
considerable amount OF moisture Is allowed
to evaporate. IL is then passed over to other
workmen, who place it upon another descrip-
ton OF revolving table. which, although far
different from that used IN wood working, IS
practically a lathe. for the treatment to
which the vase is now subjected Is that OF
calipers, which effectively demonstrate any
..aevenness and series OF cutting tools which
are employed IN emptying the interior and
smoothing every part. well as In sharpen
ing the outlines Of the rim and borders
Leaving the hands Of these latter ministers.
the object has assumed the precise fora
which, short of subsequent ornainentation.
will character ze the finished piece. While
the operations attending the production Of
this first ebauche. OF sketch" as 1t Is called,
are apparently quite simple, their perform
ance requires Ii steadiness OF hnnd and con-
summate skill on the part Of tine worker
which few are qualified 10 give
The modelling having oeen completed 10
full satisfaction, the process Of molding IS
now in order for which purpose the prepared
sketch is carefully sliced into as many pieces
as there are L be prominent or protrudins
parts to the completed vase, and each Of these
+ is in turn treated 10 coating Of plastic
material, which when hardened and removed
+ is to form a section Of the final UlatriI- All
+ being Joined in place and firmly hraced. tic
pate, be it Of whatever variety, is reduced by
the addition Of winter 70 a thin liquid, which
in the technicality Of the usanufactory is
called barbotine, and the object cast without
further ado.
This, however. is mainly In the case %
small articles. For the moldiBg Of pieceS Il
great dimensions, the mandatory OF Sevres
employs several processes, which AID 10 the
compression Of tho liquid beyond the posi-
biiity Of flaws or bubbles OF these the two
principal are 10y means II compreszsd mir
and method % pouring tho gtld in t
vacuum. without which the attainment q
some Of the gigantic pieces made there w5ad
be impossible.
THE AzTfsTa
In close proximity u the shops where tbs
foregoing PROCESS take place are the ate.isTs
OF the artists, charged with the correction 81
all imperfections and with ibs mo1eling %
the various ornaments which IL Il their bBSi-
ness 70 Join 20 the main body Of the work az
the proper stage Thee rspareurs, 70 caIisd.
are men Of great attainment and ofttines
reputation, whose Important tasks ere con
sldered on par win th0ss Of srslpt0rs a1d
painters. TIC piece is now ready 10 undergo
q preparatory touch of the Gre which hArieus
the pate for tie pgrposss .! the decorators Ia
color, ard 20 allow Of r. certain amount q
scuIyt1ring and eugraving which must -
used upor the dstslA The first tsonter1ug Is
accomplished in tie upper part q tis fur
mace where tks heat l. E4xcn lessxsoieat ta2a
ordinarily required
After this CONES application Of that
soft and translucent eaarne. when Furnishes
oue OF the features azn~h sdEnirs5 By ALA
! tesrn Of this sJrs u ware, aad watch L. con-
pcsrd Of fusrd Combination Ct crJshsa fsst-
spar end quartz. than which ft.ie q . Ezso-
eral nature can be harder CT r9oys tsTabas.
Sesres pcszss~1s, for these pupo~<. eaga.
great furnaces, 81 q which scs tSyoozs sS-