New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
New Industrial Art, Given
Impetus Five Years Ago
Here, Has Brought New
Industry to A America
Paris Is Surpassed
New York Artists Prove
Their Ability to Think
Out New Fashion Modes

-
in one of the halls of the American
Museum OF Natural History an Ameri-
can textile and costume art.
American artists who two years ago
scarcely knew where their next meal
was coming from and occupied hall
room studios are now getting more
retainers from manufacturers for the
first choice of the designs they turn
cut
Only few months ago silk manu-
fsctarer of New York sent over batch
Of these now American designs to
Paris. Of these new goods 5000 900
worth was eagerly bought, and much
more could have been sold then and
there had it not been that the sales
man hid to be called off because of
the difficulties of shipment.
They call it Nan Exhibition of In
dustrial Art in Textiles and Costumes"
and it is to be at the museum at Cen
tral P"rk West and Seventy seventh
Street. until Thursday, November 27
It is not a museum exhibit, but
business show" be ore all else, rec
ord OF the latest in American manu-
sacture.
Many Articles on Exhibit
There are gowns and cloaks, jackets
and lerrths cf silks, emhroideries. fur
garments with costly museum exhibits
alongside of them. showing the source
: and the insNiration. Most interest
ingly the primitive races have con
tributed to this new American design.
dainty skating costume that any
American girl would worship" owes
its beirg to ideas from skin coat of
Aiasla. a gsrment Of master of the
Japanese carpenter guild of the seven.
tenth century has inspired design
for the lining Of superb evening wrap
A netterr % silk grew out of the me-
mortal window to Chaucer at Westmn
So mother from ribbon (shown by
its side) made by the Indians Of Guate-
nala and used in wedding costumes
fer dressing the hair. Another design.
cleverlv ADAPTED, comes from the harem
tent curtains of the East. One sees a
pnk-yellow blouse that owes its 'cut"
to 3 fish skin" of the Amoor River, a
bronze velvet blouse the idea for which
vas born in Burmah, and a per fect,
{ .wonderful, gorgeous blouse of gold and
blue. there because girl artist saw q
little jacket from the Philippines, of
smr.e brown, ano had a chance to
st~dy its Lines" and its ornamen-
tation.
Museum Behind Movement
Behind the achievement stands first
Of all the American Museum of Nat
ural History (assisted hv the Brooklyn
institute of Arts and Sciences). Five
Years go the instit, tion stnrted put
ting its collections of desig gns and ap-
ethnologic exhibits at the disposal OF
all who would study them.
Manufacturers who had open minds
and could be induced to see poss bill
ties in the making of a new art of
American design were brought up to
: examine the collections. Expeditions
TO the Washington Square section of
the city to Greenwich Village, all over
IL New York, brought individually
prom sing young artists who could see,
would learn. were willing to be taught.
There were three groups, the
museum scientists who had as custo-
dians this immense amount of raw
m terial that they were sure present
ed unlimited possibilities of being the
nsplratlon of an infinite number Of
designs, the manufacturers who could
see huge possibilities of design but
could not themselves draw, and the ar
lists who did not know trade condi-
lions. wnat the manufacturers vented
what could be done, how to make q
drawing practical, to present to fac
money OF.
Unusual Conference Held
The combine" that has resulted in
all this success was done by a series OF
unNsual conferences. The museum
scientists brought out material un'imi
ted. the manufacturers had their busi-
ness heads, the heads of their des g
departments, their. technical men.
Inc artists were displayed garments
des gns of age following age, and
stories We're told them. The manu- &C
,urers explained processes. machine
limitations, just what q practical, valu-
able design should be. Conference
after conference brought the group
c'oser and closer together.
One Of the foremost of America
sHk manufacturers, needed by its gen
efal manager, the leading embroider
nrm of this country, several of tn
largest makers of women's suits ant
costumes, were among the earliest j.
lhese conferences. The wave of rumcl
y brought more and more artists who sd"
suddenly vast new profitable helt
opening to them. Hitherto the tern
commercial" had repelled them. Nov
uey saw possibilities undreamed OF,
ready market opening for their wares
and storehouse full of materials with
~As alu possible III making use VI ~
Cooperation BY Museum
The museum went far in co0pera
ton. Besides staging the many con
lerences and proving the real insplra
uon and beginning of them all, 1t ever
would arrange. on occasion and In th'
ease OF some most responsible manufac
'urer, to have some valuable museum
eShlbit, SINE ancient g"rment some
.ning unique that could be found onl,
N IN museNm collection, 60 down t.
mat manufacturers workrooms, to re
nam there for several days, so tina
designers "bosses" and work peopl
could study it and learn tire lesson
Taught by it's Recommendation" and it
silhouette"
Two men stand out in this develop
incrt mcrt of this new American design
!llhey are DR.. Herbert j. Spinden, o
me museum staff, and M. D. c. Craw
..ord, research associate in textiles a
sne museum and editor of daily Ne,
nork newspaper for the garment trade
~ ~. spinden's great part was the selec
.h .ioh OF material that would educate ar
csts and the manufacturers. MI
snlrawford got the manufacturers, en-
saused them, organized the competi
.lon for the designers, printed tn
Mlnning designs and results in hi
.iaae paper (Which also gave tn
pfizes) and focused the attention q
eAe manufacturing world upon them,