The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-07
Fine ART IN PUNCH BOWLS
Unique Designs for Many Reeep-
tacles for Liquids.
Ingenuity of the jewelers. Craft Ex-
Many superb Monuments to the
Metal Workers. Art - SidebOard
Ornaments-An Egyptian Legend.

| The graceful sentiment of making pres
ents of punch bowls had its beginning in
the far past, so far back. indeed. that the
mythical. In recent years the punch bowl
| In silver or In glass or In porcelain has
been recognized by Chicago jewellers as
| well as those Of other cities as the leader
Of the list Of desirable presents to clubs
and other social organizations. as well as
to those who encourage manly sports. The
designs of these bowls are as artistic ard
| can be made. and perhaps one would have
to go to the American-made punch howl in
silver to find the highest expression of art
In metal. They are as a rule massive, con-
yeying the idea Of strength. and yet so del
icate in construction as to look almost too
fragile for use.
Sixteen Of the vessels Of the Navy have
been presented with silver services, the
first being the Maine. in June. 1891.
The cruiser New Orleans was given a
solid silver punch bowl, with capacity
Of six and one-half gallons. With the
bowl are twenty-five goblets, waiter, and
two COMFORTS. 1t is one Of the most pic
turesqus receptacles ever made The
Jewellers Circular which gives cuts and
descriptions OF all the prominent designs
in silver services. pronounces the bowl OF
the New Orleans a superb monument to
the metal workers art
The punch bowl Of the battleship Ken
lucky has a capacity Of about fourteen gall
Ions. The early history Of Kentucky is
typified by one handle, representing the
head of Daniel Boone, and the other the
head Of an Indian. with an eagle on the
front and another on the back. holding In
their talons the principal soil products OF
the State.
The centrepiece Of Admiral Dewey's flag
ship Olympia is to hold fruit or flowers
and Is the most conspicuous piece Of the
set. The service was presented to the
ship by the State Of Washington. to COM
memorate the battle of Manila, and diff
fers from other services in that the name
Of every ofacer and man on the vessel at
the time Is inscribed on the tray Of the
service.
One Of the most unique punch bowls
that was ever manufactured is the one
that was given to the Society of Colonial
Wars some six years ago.
Around the body OF the bowl are the arms
OF the nine original colonies. Inserted IN
the body Of the bowl are twenty-three sill
yer coins and one gold coin. Is circu,ated
in the colonies. ranging in date from
Henry VIII in 1903 down to the war Of in
dependence.
Nearly all clubs have punch bowls, but
the fewest number Of them are solid silver,
as also are the cups Glass Is rather more
Of fayorite in clubs than either solid or
plated silver. but why no one seems to
know. though 1t may be attributed to the
fact that nearly all clubs prefer keramics
for decoration and naturally metal ware
would not be as suitable for bowls and the
like as cut or even plain glass.
The history Of the beginning of the
of vessels to hold liquids is
interesting even If it does start in the
dense obscurity of myths. Egypt claims to
be the birthplace of keramics. of which all
works Of art or convenience in either clay
or metal came. When God created the world
and saw that it was good he came down
to the valley of the Nile with a potter's
wheel, the tradition goes. He placed the
proper amount of the soil Of the valley
ION his wheel and from it produced
nan. Night coming on the man, being
TAXED. feit chilly. By some strange. chance
le rubbed tMc cedar sticks together until
he produced fire.
Then he gathered otne-. sticks and put
hem upon the fire. The Iahor. together
With the heat OF the fire, Obliged him to
move back from the blaze. Pretty so6sn ne
discovered that the heat Of the fire had
aused his footprints in the soft and damp
round to become hard.
He went and fetched a sharp edged
tone and cut out the baked clay that had
he imprint of his feet and used 1t for a
Thinking cup. From that beginning all
he forms and STYLES OF keramics grow
md when man discovered that metals
ould be used for the same purpose as
lay ware metal working became a rival
Lrt of the product Of the potter's wheel.
I there is any truth in this old Egyptian
tory the modern punch bowl is indebted
o the Egyptian Adam for discovering fire
n cedar wood and inventing drinking YES
els to put drinks into.-Chicago Chron-
Gle.