The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-27
SlShOR gTAllERclO sod ONE OF HIS CAMEOLT
COTTERS: TALIERCiO SET uP. TIE ERsT
a.t CAMEO CUTTING SHOP IN AMERICA.
America Awakens to Keener Appre.
: ciation of Beautiful Hand Wrought
Things and Find They Can Be
: Obtained in Abundance at Home

T T has long been an accepted re-
~ proach to America that it is a
$40 country Of prose. OF machinery.
ef wholesale production. OF coarse and
shasty processes. For a time this re-
-proach was JUSTIFIED, but it is passing.
People who have money to spend for
beautiful things. HAND wrought, are
.Anding out that IT is not necessary for
them to so to Europe to search for
them, And as soon as they realized
that to have lovely ornaments with
an individual touch to wear and indi-
vidual styles for their home access
series they must themselves take time
10, think. to study, to Choose and dis
card with careful taste, then appeared
1.-The artisans who could supply these
artistic cravings.
4 These artisans at first and for the
-post part still come from abroad
aLacemakers and embroiderers, tapes
try workers, brass beaters, glass blow
.ers, cameo and diamond cutters, who
On emigrating to this country found
that there was no demand. for their
goods and drifted into foreign labors,
are now returning to their original
sYocations because the demand has
some at last. Out of the vast foreign
tpopulstion OF New York the crafts
pan who inherited his little trade
from a long series of ancestors who
carried 1t on in Europe is making
himself felt in small but growing
way, and truly many Old World activi-
Yes are now successfully carried on
here.
q Often these arts belong to particu-
: Jar nation. For instance, a brass
tbeater is distinctly Russian, the cameo
cutter. Italian. Entire families belong
ito two arts. II Bohemian the men TO
glass blowing, the women to fine en-
broideries,. and many times when a
smember of family breaks away from
the traditional occupation OF a family
he is not looked upon with favor.
The first OF these crafts to be taken
rup In America was that of Russian
brass beating. At first 1t was followed
: in desultory manner. utensils being
made for the use Of those of the Rus
sian colony. This was a. number Of
years ago. Gradually some of the
tsRares found way TO open markets
and three astute Russians set up large
factories. For several years they
made trips back and forth, from Rus
ssia,, bringing wiCi, ;hes- rare old pieces
that were then copied by the Russian
sbrass heaters, When the war broke
snut and the metal for such work could
not be obtained these factories, en-
zploytng between them some two hun
fdred workers, were forced to shut
epoyn, and the industry would have
stemporarily died out had not some OF
the old men who maintain small shops
send who had stock of material on.
band. to keep them gently at work
kept the thing going.
a.. 1t is estimated that there are over
1900 brass heaters in New York city
saiones and that these could keep the
american market supplied and also
shave goods for export.
The Old Russian. workman.
e It Is ore thing to sec men working
in large brass beating shop. where
the din OF the hammers assault the
ear In a most terrifying manner, and
quite another 10 stroll through the
quarter where the old Russian bends
lovingly over his anvil and coaxes a
piece OF stubborn metal into beau
.fifuf shape. In this shop there Is no
sarring noise. but gentle tinkle-
Enhle OF the hammer on metal.
Alien street. on the East side, might
better be known as the Street Of the
Brass Beaters. There one finds small
shops, fnd behind them Is q reou IN