The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-26

! over which decorations of enamel were
! poured with fine touches. Then the thin
silver was beaten up between The layers OF
delicate enamel. Nine years was the
maker of this amazing piece at work be
fore he succeeded in finishing bowl with
out breaking it with the light blows of his
hammer. How many bowls were destroyed
before perfect one was obtained only the
maker could tell, but for his perseverance
he asks a reward of s., 600 OF course the
trinket is not worth that sum from any
standpoint of art value, but if one wants a
bowl that is absolutely unique and that no
one will try TO initiate he should purchase
this.
Visitors are impressed by the fact that
as rule the Japs have small prices on
their articles In their wonderful elois-
onne ware, their porcelains and similar
goods their prices are from i TO 500 per
cent. below those of the European makers
Of articles of approximately the same
grade Many Americans are taking adj
vantage of this fact, and for ten. twenty
or fifty dollars are buying vases, bowls,
plates and a great variety of trinkets
which in any of the European sections
would cost hundreds of dollars.
1t is in cloisonne the Japs show their
most artistic touch. All visitors are
shown Just how the ware is made by means
of various stages Of the process. First the
design is engraved upon a copper plate.
Then fine wires are cemented into the
lines made by the engTaver's tool. In the
third process a certain quantity Of the pot
ter's clay is pressed between the lines of
wire, painted and sent TO the kiln 10 be
fred. Then another lot Of clay, that for
another color in the process of building mp
the picture, is put in and painted and fred
In turn. Thus from four to eight and
sometimes ten and twelve layers Of clay
are added and fired With this tedious
and delicate process the Japs produce won
derful effects.
Some Of their wareis surprisingly Cheap
other pieces are rather costly. For in
stance, small pair Of cloisonne vases sell
at $50, though near by is pair almost as
fine that ere marked 80 The best thing
here in cloisonne, according TO the Japa-
nese commissioner, who escorted me
through the section, is a pair Of flower
vases Of purple background. five feet high
and worth g. 800. Another pair, covered
with exquisite chrys3nthemums IL valued
ct s, 100, but the commissioner said while
more snowy than the other It was not as
artistic. The prettie6: thing saw was n
little tea set, pot, cream and sugar
bowls, and only two cups and saueers- Il
Is not expensive-s Jo-but as dainty and
charming as it is possible Tor anything 10
be The design Is flowers, and each leaf
of the growth IS lot much bigger than a
pin-head, but Of rich and perfect coIorinz.
OF course the Japs must show what they
can do Ia their national wood, The wonder
ful bamboo. They have here a carved
cabinet o. that wood valued a. g. 30 In
one case they shoTT dozen walking sticks
81 young bsrzlbooz, valued from % osnts TO
30 each. At first sight you would say the
% cent one was nearly Is fee m the 30
stick, but closer examination wiz show
you that the latter In z. sgpI6c@ntly carved
and ihIaid. These sticks ana rssdy p1r-
cbasers.
The lscr1sr ware "a hero 81 imnerse
variety We are al mere or less f&-illar
with this wrS-e, rTIt here yo1 see It's won
lerful possibilities Take for example
lacquer screen, II fsur lsz~.s. 81 ia a bz&s |
Of carved 1ood and o-nAzneat&d Il god |
and painting. Ye1 lever b4iaeld anything |
more Gorgeous IN ali roar Life. and With . /
PLAY o. d.cJsghi uDoa y r4szdass woal6 /