Evening star., 1896-03-07
MIR. GLASS; MOSAICS.
A Table That Was Made of 0632O
Separate Pieces of Wood.

"A Iable That Was Made of O6.32O
Separate Pieces of Wood.
From the Milwaukee Sentinel,
Peter Glass. living in the town of Scott.
mas during the past year made for his
daughter, Miss Rose Glass of Sheboygan, a
mosaic workstand. 1t is made of natural
and colored woods and consists of 51O2
pieces, so arranged as to form a design of
nlrds fruits, flowers and foliage, each ar
tlcle represented being given in its natural
color. So exactly are the parts joined that
1t seems almost impossible that the ton is
not one piece of wood with the design
painted upon it. Mr.. Glass, who has been
at work during the year upon three similar
tapies' Is now in his seventy-second year.
ne mas made some tables which have been
most favorably mentioned wherever ex-
hl1ited, and has received three medals and
diploma.
Mr. Glass was born in Bavaria, Germany,
ana learned the cab.netmaker's trade he
1ore coming to America. He settled in Leo
minster, Worcester county, Mass, in 1874
one day while in Boston he saw mosaic
tabie made OF few pieces of wood in their
natural color. He conceived the idea or
making table with much more elabor-
ate design. At the time he was employed
during the day in a factory, SO that he
could spend only his evenings and SUNDAYS
at the work, but he became so Interested
that he often spent nearly the entire night
laboring at the table. He was not content
ed with using the woods in their natural
color, but determined to see If he could not
color white wood so that it would be tho
t1nts of flowers and birds which he wished
to copy.
AS there were no dyes then made for COL
orlnS wood. he invented some. He drew
his own designs for the tables and made
his own patterns. His first table was fin
ished in 1850, and 1t was sold to Isaac
paws. mayor of Worcester, Mass. for s75
lie next made a center table containing
.O,oU pieces, which was bought by Mr.
Gates of Worcester, the price being about
81 ,iW. Both of the tables We're on exhibi-
ton at Horticultural Hall, Worcester when
they were sold in 1865. and at the time
much was said by the eastern papers about
them and the maker. In 1885 Mr.. Glass
made a table in the manufacture of which
he used $4,000 pieces of wood. This he
Drousht with him when he moved to Bar
ton, this state. In 1858 this was sold to n
Mr.. Fuller of Waukesha for $3.50
Mr.. Glass next made an eight-cornered
center table of 10000 pieces and work
stand of 100 pieces: These were exhibited
in Milwaukee and Chicago, and We're
spoken of by one Of the Chicago papers as
being 1.-The most marvellous articles of
handtwork ever exhibited in this or any
other country" 1t was the makers inten-
ton to present the tables to. President and
Mrs. Lincoln, but at the time of the as
Sassination of the President they were still
on exhibition in Chicago. However, few
the Lincoln family. and received a letter of
acceptance and thanks from Robert r.
Lincoln. The tables are now with the Lin
coin relics at the National Museum Wash
ington.
The next table made consisted of 963oO
pieces. and Mr.. Glass took it to the Paris
exposition of 1861 and remained there with
it for year He hoped, while there to sell
it for good price, but not being offered
what he considered 1t worth, he brought IT
back with him. After he returned he was
not able to sell the table, so in 1872 it was
ratified off, John O'Hearn Of this county be-
ing the winner. 1t was afterward sold To
Mr.. Hoffman Of Sheboygan, who sent it to
Philadelphia to the centennial, but in un-
loading the exhibit at the grounds the top
in its box. was supposed to be a wheel
and was taken to the machinery depart
ment, where the mistake was not discover
ed until nearly the close Of the exposition
1t is now believed to be in some public MI
scum in Philadelphia.
On the tables which Mr.. Glass exhibited
in the east he received a silver medal and
diploma from the Massachusetts Charitable
Mechanics Association in 1885, bronze
medal and diploma from the New York
American Institute in 1856 for the table
exhibited in Paris an honorable diploma
from the Paris exposition, and for tie
same table silver medal from the Wis.,
consin Agricultural Society in 1865