The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-03-24
BEAUTY IN CARVED GLASS.
New Champagne Goblets That Cost $3.50
Dozen.

Something new in glassware are ocean
tiers and wineglasses ornamented ate
the fashion of the Woodhall carvings.
The new importations for practical us
are distinct from the plaques, vases, ant
purely ornamental pieces, inasmuch as
the pictured scenes on them are wrough
level with the surface and not thrown
ont in relief. This permits of their being
washed easily and conveniently cared for
A set of champagne glasses of this move
pattern costs $3.50, and each is a work o.
art. They are oblong-shaped, like a tiny
gondola, with the curved end covered
over and the miniature scene on the side
Of each is as ohaste and clear, with the
figures perfectly modelled, as though por
trayed on large expanse of surface.
"That wine glass is wrought out Of a
single piece of crystal, said the import
or, as he held one of these gems to the
light. "There is nothing finer in the way
Of glass drinking cup in this country
or indeed In Europe. There are wine glas
Sos with rare hand painting and gliding
to be picked up here and there. but this
carving, that has the effect of being done
in relief and yet is not, is novel and
unique"
glass or with the naked eye, the work of
these glasses shows new beauties the
longer you look. On one is tiny chariot
with floating pennons drawn by swans
and driven by god, who handles the
reins quite nonchalantly, considering
that the car. is besieged by quartette OF
nymphs and naiads seemingly eager to be
aboard. The female forms are beautiful,
and it would seem that under certain
conditions the drinker of champagne out
of such a jewel of a glass would be apt to
fall in love with the fairies SO near his
lips. Another tiny goblet has NINA
ture pinnaoe manned by oupids drifting
through perfect sea of lovely faces.
There are dolphins in the pict ure and
oonchs and other Neptune-like sugges-
tions, wonderfully executed. There are
grapes and garlands and goddesses on
others No wonder that each one OF these
matchless glasses costs more than S62.
| On the upright panel OF cruise or de-
| capter the artist has more space to show
what he can do, but the two.inch pictures
| on the chapmague glasses are as bew1lder-
| ingly pretty in their way as any on the
larger pieces. Without gliding, without
color, without glitter or sparkle these
carved tablepieces have beauty and dis
tinction all their own. just the shape
of them is something to ponder over. A
three-sided deoanter narrows up from
| base to stopper with 4 subtle curve,
unique in wine bottles and resembling
some flower, slender and graceful. Only
q few pieces Of this peculiarly expensive
ware is Kept in stock, but many decant-
ers. flower holders and glasses for wines
and cordials have been made to order.
Tbe carving on glass of this kind is done
in the factory in Vienna. No one has at
| tempted to have it done here. A glass
worker possessed of the skill and under
standing to effect it successfully would
demand too high wages after he got on
American soil to make his services worth
while having. Certain of the craft are
employed as engrayers, but only in rare
| instances in exclusive shops. Over in
the old countries, where infinite patience
| and perfection in just one line of work
manship are the rule and not the excep-
ton among workingmen, such work can
| be done to advantage.
81 had a talk with Viennese workman,
with glass pieces of this kind to sell,
| here in New York the other day." said
| the importer, as he replaced $40 finger
| bowl on it's delicate tray. "He had o head
| of Lincoln wrought in relief Oh an I'M
| framed plaque and picture OF Washing
ton on horseback. and other national sub
iects that he had worked out before he
came over, because he fanoied there would
| be sale for them. He had vase or two
and cup and such odd pieces all cleveriy
done, but he could not sell one. Some
| time after ne came in again and said he
was going back home to work In the fac
tory be had left. The class Of people able
to buy these things he could not reach
here, except through the regular impor-
tiers, and, of course, they can buy to bet
ter advantage in the countries where
| living is cheaper and the wages cores
pondingly low. Are the people who do
this exquisite work artists? Well. no.
In certain sense they are, of course,
but not in the broad sense of the term.
| They generally know nothing outside of
that one line of work. They can carve
and only idea. They do the work almost
mechanically, beautiful and interesting
| as it looks when done. "
| AS set-off to these cameo carved wine
glasses are those tinted delicately about
the brim and the stand that upholds the
goblet with green or amber or she'll pink.
Just enough of gilt Is enamelled on the
Il
| to show off the color to advantage. The
gliding filled in level with the & lass has q
| lighter, more delicate effect than the
enamelling, but the latter is the more ex-
pensive In these decorated wine glasses,
as in every other department. of ornamen-
| tai work, it is the amount of gold used,
that tells in the cost. Finger bowls,
berry shaped and very small, with hint
of leaf green about the edges both Of the
bowl ard the saucer tray, or else just
blushing into pink, cost 1913 and $50
apiece. These are of exquisitely fine
glass, traced over with gliding. Some
have amber lights and leaf traoery OF
gold. Others are set off with violet bor-
ders. Very beautiful glass dishes for
sailed almonds or bonbons are shaped
like leaf, set upon gold feet and have
gold handles turned like the twisted
curlycue SO often seen on stem. Many
of these fancy dishes are tinted on the
edge; others have gliding to outline the
veins and underlying leaf fbres. One
| very lovely almond holder is in shaded
green, with the stem that runs through
| the centre of the leaf of darker tint,
and handle of curiously carved gold. The
gold feet on which the dish is mounted
Ghox-, ~ tho rIecc and piva orotbar