The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-04-24

rejecting faces. The stone wheels used
in smoothing are imported from Scotland
and England.
Then comes the work of the polisher,
who uses a wheel made of wood or cork,
kept wet with moistened pumice and rot
ten stone Thence the glass goes to a
revolving brush to which is fed calcined
lead or tin blown upon the wheel in a dry
state. This occupation. is conducive to
lung diseases. The revolving brush and
powder remove all particles Of dirt and
remnants of pumice or rotten stone, and
give to the glass its final effect of brilhancy
and lustre
Every process in the making of cut glass
is expensive. The material must be free
from impurities; the building cf a metal pot
is a work of unusual difficulty, and the
breaking of single pot may injure whole
furnance full of pots and their contents;
while in the cutting and handling Of the
glass itself there is always a large element
of breakage to cut down the profits. The
labor employed is highly skilled and well
paid American glass cutters earn $19 a
week, against from 81 to So in England,
IS to S6 in France and Belgium, and still
less in Germany and Bohemia but in spite
of the higher cost of labor it is possible, By
reason of the vastly superior skill and
dexterity of American artisans, for the
United States TO hold their home market
against the world in the cut glass industry.
Some novelties of rare beauty and artis-
tic merit are shown in the leading cut glass
establishments. There may still be seen
the IS, 600 electrolabrum which was ex-
hibited at the Worlds Fair four years ago,
and is the largest article of deep cut glass
ever produced anywhere in the world. The
''egg of Columbus punch bowl, platter,
and twenty -four glasses, also shown at the
World Fair, has just been sold to Phil
adelphian for $3.50. An epergne with
four bowls and a top vase is held at $3.50.
In cut glass with sterling silver mountings,
now becoming very fashionable, some beau
full wares have Just been brought out.
There are also punch bowl with silver
foot and border at $400, salad bowls at
from $50 to $50, decanters with heavy
silver shoppers at S100 pair, loving cup
for S27, tantalus set of three bottles with
bronze bar, which locks the set from tam
pering by servants, at $50, cigar jar with
lock attachment and ground glass stopper,
warranted air tight S37. so; princess
lamp, with standard, fount, and globe, all
of deep cut glass, S25; an ice cream set,
with tray and twelve saucers, in a leather
case, $85.
Some extremely pretty effects in colors
are now given in cut glass. The flint glass
blank is first treated to color wash Of
claret, ruby, or amber, and the cutting
goes through the colored surface and pro-
duces fine contrast of lines and patterns
which show on the uncolored glass beneath.
The showing made in the domestic man
ufacture of pottery is not so fattering as
that of the cut glass industry, but it is
very creditable. Excellent pottery of vary
ing grades and prices is made in America,
some of it sufficiently rich and artistic to
grace any dinner table in the land. 1t is
estimated that about 668 per cent. in cost
of the pottery used in America is of home
manufacture This showing is all the
more favorable when it is considered that
large proportion of the imported ware is
of the more expensive kind, and that in
order to reach two-thirds of the total in
value the American factories must turn out
immense quantities of the cheaper goods
Such Is, in fact, the case. In certain
lines of white ware, more particularly the
undecorated goods that are so largely used
in hotels and restaurants, domestic potter
les control the market absolutely against
foreign made goods.
In another branch Of the pottery trade
native talent and skill are able to produce
important results Over in Trenton, the
home of larger pottery interest than is
found in any other city in the United
States, large and profitable business is
done in the decoration of ware that is i'm
ported white. 1t is found that this can
be done to advantageous, because Of the
5 per cent of duty which is added to the
decorated ware when imported and, sec
ond, because of the superior skill and taste
displayed by American decorators. 1t was
the experience of big importer in this
city that he could save Is or 20 per cent.
by having a large order of toilet ware potted
in England and decorated in New Jersey.
A Trenton potter of prominence, said to
the Sun reporter
''Under an adequate system of protec-
ton, such as will enable them to keep their
hold on the home market, the potters of
America may be depended upon to give
good account of themselves The day is
past when high tariff is asked or expected.
Given fair and moderate rate of duty,
fairly and honestly enforced, and you will
see some important developments in Amer
lean pottery in the next few years. The
finest grade of china can and will eventually
be made in this country. Remember, we
are young in the business compared with
the centuries of experience which European
potters have had the benefit Of. The same
skill and taste which find profitable en-
ployment in decorating white ware from
abroad may be depended upon to shine out
strongly in the finer grades of china when
once that branch of manufacture shall be
thoroughly established here We make
some fine goods even now, but we shall do
much better hereafter.
"Made in America is the welcome an
nouncement in white porcelain letters on
the large windows of pottery house in
this city. This is the New York selling
agency of a West Virginia pottery noted
for the fine character of its table and toilet
ware
''America, said the manager of the
establishment, ''has been potting success
fully but little more than twenty years,
while Europe has been at it almost since
the world began. This country is sure to
come to the front in this as in other lines
where enterprise, skill, and fine artistic
taste cut figure.
The Sun reporter had pointed out to
him some dinner ware in royal blue with
gold edge of American manufacture that
sells at $40 for 130 pieces, and would en-
bellish any table; also toilet sets at SO
which we're in every way equal TO imported
Il Il A.I,.