Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-23
DECORATED GLASSWARE
HARMONIZES WITH A real. GOLD
SERVICE.
A Strawberry Set in Crystal De-
serves Artistic Adj
miratiOn.


Written for The Evening Star
1t is promising thing for American re-
finement that it each year seems more
able to appreciate the value of elegance
i'll trifes While only the few may be able
TO reVel IN the possession of great master
pieces of painting and sculpture, nearly
every one may indulge a taste for the ar
tfstfc in some form. A woman may be all
wOmanly in her love of beautiful porce-
lains and glass. handsome plate and fine
damasks. That which relates to her prov
ince, the household, surely cannot be I'M
worthy of the most serious consideration
and care, for it has been said :" 'Tis better
to pursue a frivolous aim with serious ends
than a divine art frivoOusIy.'
The last few Years have found American
women marvelously interested in any,
thing that relates to the adornment of the
table. Since the old colonial days tea
drinkings and social dinners and suppers
have been the popular form of hospitality,
and table furnishing has been a subject
close to the interest of every American
woman. The dinner party has come to be
the most elegant of all fashionable func-
lions, and a wOman's fitness for social
leadership is largely gagged not by the
quality of balls or receptions. but by the
more exclusive dinners at which she reigns
as hostess. For people of wealth all sorts
OF table eNtraVaSanCeS prevail. The pluto
NIcl IOSlcSS now luTIIS up 0cr nose at
silver; she will have none of it. Instead
her table services are of gold plate with
the rareSt and most costly of chinas and
glittering gems of cut glass. AS for crys-
tai, like the Roman emperor who cOntemp-
tuously scorned the use of glass; saying
that 1t was so common as to be fit only
for the vulgar, so the rich woman is in
clined to disparage mere ordinary vitreous
wares. Designers are constantly on the
lookout Tor the novel.
with Gold Service
The recent introduction of gold decorated
cut glass was one of the innovations, and
it is just the thing to go with Madame
Plutocrats gold dinner service.
Although the United States makes some
very good glass, the best of the gold-decor-
ated ware is imported. 1t is made in Bo-
hemia, a region which, after Venice, has
supplied the world with some of the most
beautiful crystal ever manufactured. The
little town of Haida, in the shadow of the
dark, mysterious BONNER wald, possibly
eXcels in the making of the decorated glass.
The town lies in the heart of the district
famous for several centuries for artistic
manufacture, and the artisans have spent
their lives in mastering the details Of their
work. as did their fathers, their grand
fathers and great-grandfathers before
them. They are paid what to an American
workman would seem very meager wages,
but their wants are few and their am
billions modest; so that In their forest
homes, in the humbleSt of matched cot
tages, the property of some great land
owner, they are satisfied and proud if thew
can invent new touch, q new design to
recommend their masters work to the
agents of the merchants who sometimes
run down from the show rooms at Carlsbad
to explore the factories, for so great is the
competition for striking and original pieces
that they are always on the lookout for
new ideas.
The goId-decorated ware is Of cut glass
filled in with patterns in gold. By the
process to which it is subjected the gold
will. not tarnish or wear off Some hand
some pieces are shown in the accompany-
ing Illustrations made from photographs
Salad bowls. fruit dishes, decanters wine
glasses, tumblers, ice cream dishes bon
Dor bowls, Custard cups and flower vases
are effective i'll this style of decoration
A Strawberry Set.
The handsomest bits of crystal recently
brought into this country consist of a
strawberry set. It's history is as follows:
Last season the agent for one of the great
New York importing houses visited the
establishment Of Haida, where some of
the best of the gold-adorned ware is made
The hospitable master of the manufa Glory
offered his guest refreshments, among