The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-21
HAND-wRoUGHT sILvERwARE.
An Exhibition Showing Attempts to
Revive an Old Art.
Do

New York Evening Post.
Now and again throughout the last year
vague rumorS of serious attempts to revive
the almost forgotten art of silver-worklng
to do with things artistic. That an art
renaissance in little has been in quiet prog
ress will be known to them and may be,
come patent to the eyes OF the general
public even at an exhibition of three
hundred or more examples OF hand-beaten
silverware to be opened at the Waldorf
Astoria Hotel on Monday next and contin-
ued during the week, private view OF
which was given this afternoon. 1t is not
claimed by the exhibitors that the tseptb
centuries has been rivaled in this collection
but the degree of excellence now reached is
said to be gratifying and fruitful In promise,
and 1t is asserted with the utmost confidence
that all that has been lost in skill Will, with
the passing of a few years, pc regalneu;
Whether or not this confidence is luStlneu
by present results may be determined to the
liking of visitors to the exhibition by
study of the contrast between the collection
and a number of antique masterpieces WhiSn
will be also on exhibition. At any rate, the
worth of what has been called the new
work, both from point OF view OF peauty
and utility, will be shown by comparison
with the modern, with its fiorld Design eX-
ecuted with machine accuracy and its garlsn
finish. l..
brief 'Art for arts sake has no part IN II
unless, indeed, the artistic instinct was the
inspiration of the humble artisans; In n.a lei
yival is the outcome of purely commercial
considerations. Three years ago the e.
hibitors were led by repeated oD1ectlons 20
the work of the modern Silversmith and the
constant demand for something more SUB
stantially beautiful into the conVlctlon tnAt
the manufacture of silverware AFTER tne
models left by the siIv " nhneu IN oi nrzed
heirlooms would be a profitable undertak,
ing. Attainment to this peculiar stanoa arc
they argeeS must But the native artisans
more skillful than the German or the Ell FL,
glish. and therefore the most skillful IN the
world, according to the present eHnlp ,lu
knew practically nothing of the details or
the method Machine formed and machlne
decorated work, less artistic, 1t is eVldent,
but more cheapy 2rodTfeG a nad nay into
oblivion The primitive artisan had Decohe
all but extinct; there was no master %
dozen or more of the most competent WI n
men in the company's factory were se!ecteu'
and under the direction OF an art III
rector" babe to revive the art as pest tney
might. Potent inducements were S O5er9 from m
these it is said, the work was taken up
with enthusiasm by the director ana WIFI
characteristic devotion by the artlsans:
obviously there was but one way to go
about it, and that was TO take haLn 1I. Gu r
punch in hand and proceed by patlen n ~ ~
Derirnent from meager knowledge TO greatet
Progress was necessarily very SLOW, put II
will be admitted when the collectlon Is Oh
view it was marvelously fast. Iners W.
innumerabe difficulties or technlcal ci In
acter in the way of realizing the ann. Inc
artisans had to loose themselves from the
traditions of their craft and to subdue the
fixed and insidious inclination toward d
modern treatment of their Designs.
Taught by experience, their tentative eA-
forts were frequently discouraglng.
Free rein was given to each to work as
he willed, to reproduce a design Suggesteuq.
or to follow his own inspiration. The result
was that the methods developed were as
MANY as the men. In the COLLECTION ex-
hibited it is not a matter OF d1fnculty TO
choose from the whole the work or any one
man. From the simplest designs profess
was made with great caution to the more
complex, a study of form, of course, preced-
ing any attempt at ornamentatlon FOR
three years the mastery of the art was pa
tientIy sought, the surety of ultimate Suc-
cess more evident in each succeeding 1all-
ure II was determined when the work was
taken UP that no important specimens
sympathy or censure of the public ana TINS
determination has been vigorously liVed up
to- During the last year great strides nave
been made toward perfection, ana WltnlIl d
few months the work has become, the
makers think, worthy of comparison WIN
the ancient models. When 1t was thougnt
that recognition of its merit would be free
ly given, the present eXhlDlllon was
planned. ~ =.
The collection comprises a. long !lst OF
tankards Jugs, pitchers, loving-cups, bowls
vases and all such. Each has been beaten
by a single workman from solid sheet OF
metal even to the Spouts and handles ana
legs, and all the wealth of ornamentatlon
Some of the pieces have been executed from
the wax models of the director, some from
drawings, while others have taken form
and ornament at the will OF the artisan. as
the work went along. No mechanlcal WORK
has been done upon them.