Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-05-19
The Koptograph.
CAsTINE, May 10. 1892.

of certain conspicuous adornments recent
ly put in position upon the custom house.
Our townsman, Seth X. Devereux, Is the
inventor of new art to which has been
given the name koptography. II is pro-
cess by which designs, however elaborate,
are deeply indented 10 highly polished wood
surfaces, receiving subsequent treatment
| by gliding or color which gives the effect
o! raised work, while, being sunken in
the wood, it IS etiectuslly protected from
the weather and furnishes very permanent
adornment.
Mr.. Devereux obtained contract from
the government to place upon the front of
the custom house, which has recently been
sheathed by him in very thorough man
ner, eight large panels of ebonized wood,
with koptogrdms of subjects furnished or
| approved by government artists. Six Of
these are seven feet in height by five feet
In breadth. and two somewhat narrower
-Four of these panels have portraits One
presents the superb face of Baron de St
Castne after the ideal picture drawn by
VIII ii. Low, and engraved by Elbridge
Kingsley, following closely the graphic
lines OF Whittier's "Mogg Megone"
-'One whose bearded cheek
And white and wrinkled brow bespeak
a warderer from the shores OF France;
A few long locks OF scattering snow
/ Beneath battered morton tlow,
And from the riyets Of his vest
" btch girds in steel his ample breast
TIE slanted sunbeams glance;
In the harsh outlines of hts face
Passion and sin have left their trace
Yet, save worn brow and thin gray hair
No signs OF weary age are there;
His step I. tirm his eve Is keen
Nor Years in broil and battle spent,
Nor toll. nor wounds, nor pain. had bent
The ordiy frame OF Old Csstine.'
Upon this panel are also seen the wilder
ness home of Castne, with wigwams Of
natives and Indian heads. and bows and
arrows appropriately arranged Another
panel contains the head of Washington,
after the portrait by Stuart in the athe-
nGum Below this bust, which is set in an
oval, is a fine view of the home at Mount
Vernon, and above, the Washington coat
OF arms, with his motto "Eritus lctd pro-
bat" and al the sides the Generals ,nn
swords. third panel presents the Kind
and thoughtful face of Lincoln, from
el IS the energetic head of Grant, from a
photograph by lockwood taken in war
times. Both OF these are heavily set In
laurel. Above the head OF Lincoln il an
"a
rise heavenward and holding in his besk
and talons the ribbon or streamer by which.
the portrait appears to be suspended A
lion surmount> the head Of Grant. in like
manner sustaining the portrait. The two
large panels upon the lower story contain
conventional designs Of a NEUROLOGICAL
character drawn by government artists at
Washington The narrower panels on
either side of the door of the entrance.
contain the seals of the United State,
Treasury and of the custom house, respec-
lively. Beneath tie former is fine view
of the lighthouse at Castine. and beneath
the latter a sea view with appropriate nav.
al embem-
largs gathering Of citizens assembled
to witness the unveilng Of these works
of art In which the town may take so
much pride.
In the absence Of the Collector, Geo. NJ
Warren, Esq MIR. John F. Rea, Deputy
Collector, acted as master of ceremonies.
He gave voice to the general regret that
sudden illness prevented Mr. Devereux
which was to crown his work with acknow-
ledgment, but he was able to speak with
the greater freedom of many public ser
vices in the past for which the town l. in
Mr.. Rca called upon several of our citi-
Zeus for addresses.
Mr.. Geo. Witherlee being invited, re.
sponded in q vein Of pleasantly, represent
Ing k"ptography a. strain upon Solo
mons assertion that there is nothing new
under the sun, for if the temple was
adorned by this device, it certainly went
up in smoke when Nebuchadne zzar burned
thoroughly a lost art. So that to our
friend belongs the full credit Of an origi-
nal invention As We admire his haudi-
work We shall not fail to associate him
closely with it.
Rev. Mr.. Cushman spoke Of the happy
choice Of subjects for these public and
conspicuous ornsment--the Baron as
forever associated with the name of the
place, and Washington and Lincoln ant
Grant the nohest and choicest Of our
land, whose virtues are the admiration OF
the world Their presence should be an
inspiration to the young and a reminder
to Us all of the cost of our liberties Such
adornment of a public building should
prove a constant education and have a re-
timing influence. II supplies an additional
attraction to our town and for awhile, at
least, " ave the only structure in all the
world adorned by this art
DR.. G. A. Wheeler spoke some brief
words of appreciation and congratulatlon.
Rev. o. II. Fernald, pastor of the Meth
odlst church, explained the significance Of
the term koptoqraph derived from the
Greek words kopto, to indent, and qrdph0
to write or design, an indented design He
pronounced it wholly new art unlike any
discovered in ruins of ancient cities, and
| SURPRISING the genius and skill of former
ages; superior to the costly mosaics and
| delicate colorings in oil, because adapted
| to such wide range of useful and orna-
mental work, in halls and parlors, in ship
cabins and in cars, on furniture and music
al instruments as we'll as for exterior dec
Grafton. He expressed the hope that the
art might prove remunerative to the in
ventor and richly reward the past twenty
years of determined effort. The kopto-
graphic art, he said has come to stay II
is immortal.
At the close of the speeches three hearty
cheers were given for Mr.. Deyereux and
the crowd eagerly pressed forward to ex-
anime more closely the skillful work by
which the effects are produced. They are
now on public and permanent and free ex-
hibition. Come and see!
| /. A. CAsTINET
| MIR. Howells' First Number.