The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
OUR FINE TABLE WARE.
NO SILrER PLATE IN EURopE EoUAL
TO UTRS.
Tho ola world Startled Wy our Advance ~
shown nt Paris In issO ANA Mt Chicago In
1sO3-This Couutry'a Prc-cmincncc In
Ihn Manufacturer nr the nln.i lnfIcrN-

shown at Paris In IssD ANA Mt Chicago In
~IsD3-This Country'S ~Prc-cmincncc In
the Manufacture or the Hest Cutlery.
As in the making of emf glass. so also In tho
manufacture o: many other articles OF table
aeornmcpt. notably In strrlinp silver and sill
ver-plnted wares. this countrv lands tho world.
1t is is a welcome fact. moreover. that in the pro.
duction OF the higher grades of table cutlery
the home manufacturers have advanced within
recent years rapidly as regards finish, DUAL.
ity, and atyle, until there is no longer any
reason to pre.e r table cutlery OF foreign make.
Americas pre.cminence IN the ar. of metal
working has been ACQUIRED FOR the most part In
the last ten years. II is true that as long ago
as 1873 m American iewellcr introduced in Eu-
rope the method of hnmmcrlnE silver now
known ms Martele, bnt IL was not until the
Paris xpositlon Of 1850 that the work OF Amer
lean silvorsmlths attracted general attention
abroad. The exhibit of metal art work was
astonishing to the foreigners, and the grave
critics seemed at u loss how TO treat tho
matter. II was complained that the Amer.
lean forms OF silver were new and start.
ling. and that they surprised tho eye with
out gratifying the taste; that American
siiverware was well suited to buyers
whose fortunes were acquired moro rap
idly than their taste. and that with a pa
tronage chiefly composed of millionaires tho
Ameri,.n silvnrs,,ttI,a n ob,e p, d,,yIe ,h.
eye with huge anu costly works,which nooouf
in Europe. outside. of ROYALTY and q few finan-
cial kings, could afford to buy. In Europe
80 h' No" "
'hey taHe such thinss Seriously anu IL was u
shock to their traditions to find that in the
d.v.,,,ue,t NJ ,h. ,r, ;,nuor,,Itzol tv por-
- 80. y. !. I, ~ y"
vehuto CelIini the harbaEians OF the western
Hemisphere had leaped so suddenly to the front.
Rut an a. was Sone-of the lcss snitefu a,no,y
pur, .mv nSs So. I "mT ~
far,sian art writers expressed great admiration
of the designs, of fruits and flowers taken d.
rect from nature and wrought in silver. the
wv ,'on n"'u' -" "''"~"' ~ e''t' NV
superb workmanship shown in the American
exhibit also commanded their respect. An emf
nan, cri,;c ,ontr,s,i,, No ,a,depcios n, Erencb
"en' ,''"'"Stns VI ie"'"
and American metal workers, said:
all, ersmi;h, who have gone back TO tho e,rn-
-, "
tools for the modelling OF the most lasciyious
M VOL os thc n,s, modes, fgpre and RI.
silver the very essence OF the most mysteri-
- n,,n,s ,n 30 ~ m,oat,n go, 49,, g.,
o1' '' w HoN'' - ""u '''
color, the public will pronounce decision.'
In 1893 the display OF American sllvcrware
NJ ,,a yor,a,s EaIr , o,Iv o,,gr,,o5 ,,o u
Wv :. ~
preston produced In Paris -four years before.
tie fact n at In decorotj,e treatment ~ soIJ
~ iuo. III, NJ ue'ora'.s. eA."en VI Hopu
simplicity, ulearncss, elegance. and suggestive.
ness of design. and thnt.while the endless copy
INK OF eAnAuSlIeSS patterns proceeds In the
European workshops. the American designers
are manIfesting a tne discrrnment in the SO.
originality and imagination in the creation Of
new types possessing the essential traits OF
altogether lattering 10 American skill and
pointed out tnc fact that the best Emropean
Sf' tSe oit SsFs SIZES so sa' sbat d w sstms sa' , p5InsiplTs
for them TO free themselves from heir intlu-
IeSrndSed APPROVAL Of the American cri.. Ti.p maU
at Paris did not hesitate to accord uunuallIrd
took the form Of The purcha Sc Of many nrti,
Giles in the exhibits for shipment To Europe.
The leading art journal of England said:
departments Of art metal work ANY other ma |
ton. Judging b. the productions exhibited.
one may well be in doubt whether we shall not
in the near future be compelled to regard New |
YORK is Mt least our egusl II not our superior
in the production OF gold and silver work"
In the four years that have elapsed since |
this judgment was expressed t.r case has
grown stronger. until IL. day the Fact is con.
ceded generally that the leading jcwcller OF
the world Is an American, and a New Yorker. |
and that In the production OF sterling silver
the world. The largest two establishments in
tion OF art works in metal, nave their head
quarters l., this city.
Silver ware is brought to America from abroad
conined almost entirely to articles classed
ard historic ASSOCIATIONS. In America III, .
buyer OF sterling silver ware must depcnd
wholly mon tho Integrity of the dealer Tor a
self. In England there IS the hall marx, the
oil -ial stamp of Goldsmith's Hall in Icndon. |
imposed by the British Government, but,
as the United States Government m,kcS
no effort to act as Sponsor in these matters
America has no hail mark. and the RESPONSE.
bility in tho matter OF value rests entirely !
with tho silver manufacturers.
Prices Of silver goods have. to some extent.
syn pathizad with the steady decline In the
bullion value OF silver during the last len
years. The effect OF this depreciation in value
l. felt Chiefly in tie palmer articles OF solid
silver In which labor is n relatively small fac
tor. but in the production OF the more elnbo-
rate works. in which artistic skull and labor
are nf prime Importance, there has been no
n aterlal decrease in prices. For the famous
magnolia vase, that marvel Of gold. silver. |
and drll enamel watch attracted universal
attention al the Worlds Fair. yet still awaits a
purchaser. you will be asked to nay $40. UOO:
while 81, 900 is the price set en- a gorgeous
tea set In silver and gold In which a score or
more of the favoritc flowers Of america are
eXuuISitoiy reproduced in Souchou chasing.
4 revolver whose handle is Of silver, inIafd
with carbonized iron. stud 'ec will TURQUOISE