Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-02
IN BLUE AND WHITE
Decorative Uses of Old Por-
celain.
ALWAYS IN FASHION
COLLECTING QUAINT PIECES
AGAIN IN ORDER.
Room Described Where Examples Of
Chinese Art Look
Well.

There is an ever-growing fancy, particu-
larly in the feminine world, for the collec-
ton of quaint and curious pieces of china
ware of both old and modern manufacture.
One does not have to be collector OF
porcelain in the technical acceptation or
the term to enjoy the search after and pos
session of rare and beautiful bit OF
ceramic art. But, of course, to the con-
noisseur belongs the exquisite Joy of COM
ing upon curious or long-sought find"
Collectors of old china, like collectors OF
many other things, are often misunderstood
by those who are not initiated into the
mysteries of the subject. A lover of one
artistic cult does not often appreciate the
enthusiasm of a savant in another. One
would imagine that a fellow feeling would
make the artistic world akin, but a patron
of pictorial art who will give fortune for
noted canvas laughs to scorn a Hollander
who leaves tulip bulb to his heirs as for
tune.
1 suppose this is the spirit Of the true
collector, but thrice blessed are they VINO
combine love of nature with a love of art.
Though the potter's art has been termed
humble, it is through his wonderful handi-
work that we have had beQueathed to US
almost perfect memorials of the ages that
gone. Great empires have cfumbied
and fallen but the imperishable little pieces
of pottery are left to mark the era OF Their
CTedtiOU. NOl Ouiy 10 liit9c Ii SilC SAdAi-
pies remain intact, but the wheel upon
which modern pottery is fashioned is nearly
Identical with that used by Egyptian work.
erS in the time of Pharaoh.
Lost for Centuries.
Fer centuries the art of pottery was lost
to Europeans, and the Chinese alone held
this important secret. These orientals per-
sisteEtly refused to divulge the knowledge
of its manufa cture, and would declare that
their chinaware was made of eggshells and
sand buried a century underground before
being used There is a tragic story in this
connection. A certain potter named Pauza
was ordered to make a china service for
the emperor. In desperation, not being
able to comply with the royal demand, he
leaped into the fiery furnace where the
composition was baking. Immediately the
clay absorbed his blood, became plastic and
clear. and his sons by this means We're en-
abled to carry out the emperors command.
Chinese Ming, Cloisonne, Nankin and the
Semi-eggShell varieties of chinaware have
always been priced, and now comes the
news that all Chinese porcelains are rapidly
returning to popular favor. They have con-
sequently enormously increased in value.
In the eighteenth century court ladies were
SatiriZed as caring more for their Chinese
monsters than for their husbands and in
this age some of US have had trying times
in living up to the treasured heirloom of a
blue teapot. Many pieces of Chinese porce-
lain carry no mark, being made for i'm
perial use alone, and when there are dis
tinctive signs many of these are forged
Still beautiful old pieces and charming mod
ern ones are easily procured. Delft china is
Ioften mistaken for the former ware, which
1t somewhat resembles. Old delft, which,
by the way, is a generic term applied to
common crockery, wherever made, is
marked with the initials of the makers
name, A. Kiele.
A Chinese Room.
no 1oct ~, Il ;c
Chinese room where porcelain decorated
in monochrome is a medium for artistic fur
nishings. With money, patience and an
empty room, one is equipped with the essen
tials for bringing an elusive atmosphere of
exquisite mystery and age into an otherwise
commonplace apartment Ceramic globe
scrapings' are prohibitive except to million
aires, but the best modern examples while
beautiful and the mode, are within the reach
of all. The walls of the Chinese room
should be of fumed oak or inlaid with panels
of silk embroideries and a frieze painted in
Chinese style. If reduced to their simplest
element, they could be hung with cotton
Grape. Around the walls are placed brack-
cts holding specimens of blue and white
pottery, while every niche and corner is
brilliant with glossy jars and beakerS of
purest cobalt and white. Chinese Chippen-
dale cabinets. although sneered at as ''ec-
centricities' and the worst phases and
alterations of Chippendales genius. will
and white woven rug is ones first idea for
the floor covering, but it would simply null
lily, If one may use the term, the glowing
GOODNESS of the room. The carpet which
brings out the tone of the apartment is a
rich Persian rug, which adds, with oriental
draperies at the windows, a last sonorous
note to the beautiful theme.
A Favorite Ware.
Lowestoft is a favorite old china which
shows the Chinese influence, though the En-
glish touch is there. The porcelain body of
this is inferior to Chelsea, Worcester
or Derby but, with its graceful flower and
pagoda designs, it is very attractive. In
dainty pieces the groundwork is blue with
ribbons threading in and out among the
blossoms in wavy line never to be con-
founded with the Dresden bOwknot. AS the
Lowestoft factory was severely unitarian
and tea ware formed large percentage of
Its output We have cups, saucers and sugar
bowls in profusion. If you peep into an
oriental-lookng teacup of this ware you will
be surprised to see an English rose which
seems to say, Il am not Chinese, but Low
estoft, as you see by this sign of the rose
Dresden is a delightful and royal china,
and, although we many specimens of
this ware, there are only four places in the
world where one may be absolutely sure of
purchasing genuine piece. These are the
sales rooms connected with the factory, the
royal porcelain depots in Dresden and Leip-
sic and little shop also in Dresden Which
is permitted to keep defective specimens.
The distinguishing mark of Dresden is two
crossed swords in blue.
Perhaps the most sought-after chinas OF
the day are Chelsea and Worcester. The
first named china factory was founded by
the great Frenchman, NJ. Sprimont in the
eighteenth century, The choicest Chelsea
vases are of immense value not alone for
their rarity, but for the workmanship IN
modelling and decoration These works
have long since disappeared, but hundreds
Of beautiful figures still exist lovely IN
glaze and color when they came fresh
from the kiln. Chelsea china later took on
the added name of Derby from the town of
its manufacture. The mark is a combina-
ton of an anchor and the letter d.
Royal Make.
Royal was bestowed upon Worcester
when Queen Charlotte visited that factory
with King George III, and the china is
being produced still in beautiful designs.
Flowers and exotic birds are the patterns
most used on Worcester. Pieces of gen.
uine Worcester have four intertwined WIS
with a crown above. Royal Worcester was
manufactured before 17SS; since mat time
1t is only Worcester.
Crown Derby, Sevres, Minton and he like
are wares to be peddled OnIy to DrinceSSeS