The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-07-31
AMERICAN GLASSWARE
PROJECTION HAS MADE IT SUPERIOR
TO AND CHEAPER THAN FOREIGN.


ton Dealers say-A Millionaire Sur
prised : Secretary Fosters Family
81 American Wares for Americans.
This is now among the most popular
of wedding gifts, and is taking the place
of silver for such occasions"
The speaker was one Of the largest
china dealers in Washington, and his re-
mark was occasioned by the almost SIM
infamous order Of two customers, one
for q fine cut glass pitcher, the other an
exquisite rose bowl, both of which arti-
cles, they had explained. were intended
as bridal presents.
This preference for fine cut glass over
silver is steadily growing among fash
ionable dinner givers, and among fine
housekeepers the rivalry in this glitter
ing table decoration is continued. Among
Washington society ladies are many con-
noisseurs in glass, who at q glance can
tell whether the article is foreign or OF
home manufacture, and can assign it to
its grade as cut, Blown or pressed ware.
and, as q rule, can very nearly fix the
price. A taste for fine glass is very like
that for laces, jewels or bric-a-brac, and
woman who becomes possessed Of one
piece Of very fine glass, and begins to
banker after another, has sprouted a
most fascinating and expensive fad. At
recent fashionable wedding in official
circles here it was estimated that half
the value Of the numerous and costly
presents was in cut glass.
Among cut glass connoisseurs and pa
irons Of home industries is the wife of the
secretary of state. At glance Mrs.
Blaine can value bit of crystal, and her
collection-almost entirely Americans
reckoned among the finest at the capital
Other expert buyers Of glass of this Re-
publican administration are the wives of
Senators Spooner, Henderson, Sawyer
and Edmunds.. A few weeks ago it
CHANGED that the wives Of three states
men met in a china establishment here.
Two Of these were learned in the values
of fine glass, but the third-and she is
one of the richest women in America
picked up a pretty rose bowl, an imita-
ton OF cut glass, and said, "Now. why
should one pay SO much for the other
ence9" The two "crystal fends" ex-
changed glances Of mingled scorn and
pity.
The interesting phase Of this recently
developed taste for fine glass is the fact
that it is confined to that of American
manufacture. learned with surprise
that neither the firms of Beverage & Co.
nor Wilmarth g Edmonston, the leading
houses here. were importing English cut
glass One of these did not have soli-
tary piece of the English ware, while the
other had a few odd bits left over from
former orders.
I'VE do not order it because we can
not sell it, American glass having en-
tirely superseded the English" was
the explanation. AT Pittsburg and
Corning" said one of the Washing
ton dealers, sis now being made
the finest cut glass in the world.
Both for durability, crystal clearness
and for the boldness and elegance of de-
sign the American cut glass leads. You
Of course know that our Corning glass
took the grand prize at the Paris exposi-
ton. 1t was of this quality and pat
term" and the merchant held up sSny
nut dish that glittered with rainbow
lights like jewel. This, he explained,
was the Venetian pattern, and reckoneJ
the most beautiful extant. English
manufacturers" said the merchant "re-
fuse to take suggestions from US, but
French and German glassmen keep
agents in this country who send them
samples Of our finest patterns, which are
at once initiated and offered to us as
French and German designs" This
dealer had half finished finger bowl
showing the process of glass cutting.
Half Of the thick, clear glass bowl was
uncut, one quarter gave the pattern
traced in red, the other showed the
finished design, which requires five
processes of drilling. cutting and polish
ing with the tiny instruments of the
trade. Once familiar with the tedious
and delicate processes Of this decoration
upon the fine body of such glass, it is no
longer mystery why cut glass is so ex-
pensive. Women who have been in
formed that Protection is a bad thing
may be interested to know that had not
such Protection been given to our home
manufacturers this exquisite glass would
not now be in the market, and women
would have known nothing better than
the comparatively dull and cheap look
ing English wares, and yet this superior
American glass is placed upon the mar
ket at the same prices as the English.
(, Cut glass, however, is distinctly q
luxury, expensive at best, and serves it's
greatest purpose in giving employment
to 80 many American workmen, and in
DETECTING the money of the rich buyer
from foreign pockets. It Is in what is
termed blown glass, the Eve intermediate
grades and in the cheap pressed glass
that the majority Of housekeepers are
interested.
| particularly inquired the effect of
the Mckinley bill upon the prices Of the
cheapest glass for table and other do
nestle purposes, and was informed that
in this particular grade, as in the finest,
we had no rivals in the world. That we
were exporting, not importing, and that
neither in quality nor price can makers
of this glass in foreign countries com
pete with us. The Mckinley bill II it
has any effect will cheaper this glass, as