Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-22
FOR CHINA TRADE.
Designing q Business Piald for the Bright
Artistic Woman.
new IDEAS WHAT IS WANTED.
They Command Novel Prlces-Advice from
Man Prominent In New York
High-Class Trade.
Correspondence Of the Dlspatch)

NEW YORK, May ls.-There is nov
new field In which women OF artistic
! inclinations and originality can secure fol
themselves liberal compensation and
| continuous employment. The potteries
Of the United States have until recently
been successful in marketing their pro-
ducts But as the tastes OF the mass OF
purchasers have become more cultivated
the crudeness OF designs, both In shapes
and decorations has been recognized.
The result Is that many of our potteries
are having a hard struggle for exist
ence-a condition of business due to the
fact that their managers refuse to re-
cognize the cause and persist In work
Ing on the old lines.
TO copy the styles Of Worcester, Doul-
ton, and Dresden has been the prac-
tice. This has been carried to such an
extent that to-day neither originals nor
copies are much in demand, and where
original designs are produced they show
plainly that they are made by foreign de-
signers working in our potteries. Most OF
these people labor under the impress
sion that American tastes demand tina,
which is vulgar and SNOWY.
Every man to his trade" Is a good
maxim, but 1t does not apply TO these
pottery designers. who are most fire.
quently modellers employed in the pot
teries, who rarely see anything outside
OF the sleepy pottery towns in which
they live. Naturally they become stale
and narrow.
a noted English potter. one of the judges
at the Chicago exhibition. in writing
his Impressions of American china and
ike wares, stamps most Of them as
reproductions OF foreign wares AMI
poor at that" Where he found oriC!-
nality he described 1t as IAN attempt
with ludicrous result
His criticism is dsparaging In the
extreme. but just.
WHY IT Is WOMAN'S FIELD.
Now. as nearly every article made in
china is intended for use or decoration
at home, the average woman OF refine
ment should be familiar with the re-
qulrements in each case.
This fact gives her an advantage over
the practical designer and partially offsets
his advantage over her knowledge OF the
difficulties in manufacturing.
The potter who designs sets great store
by this knowledge, but | can assure wo-
men with IDEAS that good designs are
never rejected because Of difficulty in
potting or firing. These difficulties are
overcome almost invariably. When 1t is
impossible, slight departures from the de-
sign can be made so as to meet the re-
quirements Of manufacture without de-
stroying The effect
To repeat In the work of designer
unfamiliar with potting corrections may
hay 70 to hn do hut E.. stfal - 81
idea conveyed by the drawing is rarely
impaired by such corrections.
COMMON ERRORS.
In the designing Of table and toilet
wares the common error is in lavish use
Of ornament and In the use of forms
generally more striking than artistic.
This criticism is not intended to dis
courage holiness" On the contrary, the
designer who will be successful must pro-
duce some original quality.
To be successful as designer Is not
merely to have talent In drawing and
handling Of colors.
1t is more important TO be able to
choose for a subject that which will have
sufficient merit as a novelty 10 insure its
ready sale.
Boldness and judgment now come into
play. For when it is suggested that
shall be made In china which
was never made in china before, the groan
will arise. "Who ever heard Of such 4
thing being made in china?"
Now this Is frequently the best recon-
mendation new suggestion can have.
POPULARITY OF CHINA.
The preference for china over silver Is
becoming more marked day by day.
The ease with which China may be kept
clean appeals to the housekeeper. The
warmth of color possible in china and
impossible in silver, and which is so
frequently important in carrying out the
scheme OF room, recommends china
for decorative purposes.
These two advantages make 1t natu-
raj for seekers after novelty to look to
the potteries.
The designer at the pottery knows no.
thing of this state Of affairs. but such
knowledge comes almost unconsciously
10 every woman who shops.
Thus the woman with an eye for no.
velty and but slight training in draw
ing may be of value to the trade
through the suggestions she may make.
Marked ability in drawing and famll-
iarity with correct styles Of ornament
Will, OF course. increase her value as n
designer, but these qualities are. after
all. of secondary Importance. Without
taking into consideration the great va
riety OF useful articles included urder
the head of table and toilet ware. de-
signs for which arc constantly in de-
mand, the number Of SO far unthought