The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-07-28
POTTERY AND LACE
Glory Of Belgium at the Column
i,ian Exposition.
HOW BELGIANS ARE LIKE FRENCH.

Many of Them Speak the Language @.
France and Their Sympathies Are In
Common = The Beautiful Blue Delft
Ware Which the Belgians Make Exhib-
tied ut the Fair.
WORLDS FAIR, July 90 [Special.] =
just as the Belgians and the French live
side by side in Europe, SO their territory
adjoins here at the Columbian exposition.
In the great Manufactures building, which
Is sort Of show place Of the nations, the
next pavilion after the French that you
come to in walking down Columbia avenue
is that of the Belgians. 1t is not easy to
tell where the French leave off and the
Belgians begin. AS ingenious and artistic
as the Partisan, though not as numerous
or wealthy, are the men and women of
Brussels. They are like the French, too,
in much Of their work, in their touch, in
their fondness for millinery and display,
in their skillful fabrication of all tho
things which man or woman wants for
| personal use or adornment. They are
French, too, in their sympathies, in their
own dress, in their thought in their polite
treatment of all visitors. Most of the edu-
Gated Belgians speak French like Paris
ians. 1t is French that we hear through
out this pavilion.
The glory of Belgium, as found in this
exhibit, may be expressed in two words
pottery and laces. Though I still adhere
to the belief that the English are the finest
clay-workers in the world, Il must be con-
fessed ones faith is much sAa,ien when
he inspects the wonderful blue delft ware
of Brussels, the porcelains OF old Vienna,
the terra cottas Of Denmark, the Berlin
porcelains of Germany and some of the
best work of the japanese. AS I am
troubled about my selection of British
pottery as the best in the world so would
the judges be troubled who might award
the grand prize to the Doultons, to the
Limoges ware, or to the delft.
The selection of ware or article that Is
first best, and another that is second best,
more or less fancifuI, depends as much
upon the judges as upon the goods. At
one international exposition the English
may get first prize in pottery, and at an
other the French, at third the Belgians,
though all are in competition on every oc-
casion. For this reason-because the selec-
tions are often arbitrary or fanciful and
therefore meaningless am glad that at
this exposition there are to be no first or
gold medals, no second or silver medals,
no third or bronze medals; but every ex-
hibit that reaches a sufficiently high
standard of excellence is to be compli-
mented by a medal with an accompanying
diploma which shall set forth in plain
words wherein the exhibit or article excels
and is thought worthy this distinction.
All the medals are to be of bronze, and all
of the same significance and value.
There can be no doubt whatever that
this beautiful blue ware from Belgium
will receive medal, and a diploma of
warm praise. The delft ware is noted for
the softness Of it's colors and for the per-
lection with which they are blended. But
most of the articles are purely decorative.
They are vases, great plates, plaques, bird
cages, and other ornamental designs. 1t
is in the making of the high-art table SER
vice that the English excel, and it is on
this ground that would put the Britons
ahead of all their contemporaries. The
Belgians show nothing, nor the French,
nor even the Austrians, that is equal to
the work of the English potters and artists
in table ware, though 1t is often combi-
nation of the efforts Of the French paint
ers with those Of English molders and
flrers that produces the work which our
British cousins take their stand on.
The delft ware of Belgium is distinctive
ly decorative rather than serviceable. It
IL unique in shape and design as well as in
color. Here is grand plate. some three
ana hair 1eer IN diameter, elegant Tor the
mantel but useless on the table, which has
in its border eight exquisite cupids. No
two cupids are alike, neither in form or
the expression of their faces, yet all are
perfect. Such q plate sells at 500, and I
notice that five or six Americans have al