Pueblo chieftain., 1922-02-25
an ART THREA(E0 WITH EXTINCTION
BY FREDERIC J. HAsx1N

BY FREDERIC J. HAsK1N ;.
WASHINGTON. d. c.. Feb. &c y
Probably one Of the most highly ?
classes OF workmen in tho world
employed in an industry Of which - -
public knows almost nothins-that IL,
making high grade Jewelry by hand,v..
The facts about this trade wert
brought out at conference held bJ
the Jcwelry Crafts Association In Newl
York. The leading topic of discussion
among tho jewelers. present was the
enormous wages which their workmen
are demanding and receiving. and the
difficulty which they expsriancs in
getting new men. Think OF a work
man making 40 high as $50 to $500 .
week! Yet some OF the 1awelry work
ers and diamond settlers get that
much. while weekly e.rninss of a
hundred or more arc not uncommon.
A good workman gets about " an
hour, while an exceptional one may
make IS. Tho standard week Is ~
hours. and time and \ half u paid for
overtime. As there IN always = short
aGe of competent workmen. most OF
tho men work overtime during = great
part Of tho year. and so pile up their
enviable earnings.
During tho war conditions were even
better for tho workmen and worse for
their employers. Some Of them dur-
ing that period were making as hish
as $5 an hour and double time LOT
overtime. Tho employers objected 10
the demands for more money and less
! working hours and long strlke uH1N
place. Tho result WAS the estaonen-
ment OF the open shop principle TINS
was not as great victory fof INC
employer as It usually IL, because inc
shortage of first-claes worknsn en-
abled them still to successfully o'-
| mand very high wages
These men are interesting, nov
much on account OF their spectacuiat
earnings as because upon them oe.
ponds the survival OF an ancient art
which is threatened with extermina-
ton. or at least great injury. as are sc
many other arts, by tho modcrn
domination OF machinery.
MACHINE-MADE JEWELRf
CHEAPER
Certain lines of machine-nade
1ewelry may be beautiful and ouen
arc. Some materials can be WORKED
very successfully by machinery. and
OF course machine-made 1ewe,7 ~ ~
much cheaper than that made ny
hand, and 10 within the reach OF per
sons who could not otherwise aftofo
1ewelry At all. Tho place of machine
made jewelry is secure and not 10 DC
criticized: but tho fate OF 3ewelrS
making A. an art 10 in tho hAnds OF
those jewelers. and their workmen who
do fine hand work. This Art 10 tnrs
ened by the scarcity of workmen
In thi. country. especially, few youna
men caro- to 60 into a trade in which
| II takes 10 to Is years to become fnIf
" proficient As 4 result OF this. th'
| United States has been getting many
of It's high grade jewelers. IRON
Europe. a preponderance Of them non
Germany and France. Many OF Tn
skilled workmen were killed or dis
sbled IN the war. Tho restrictions OF
the new immigration Law prevent
others from coming to this country
Hence the difficulties OF the moderr
manufacturing 1eweier.
These makers Of hand-wroush
1ewelry truly have behind them .
great artistic tradition Tho makins
of ,ewclry hAs always been reeo1niSst
AZ a high art. and in the italian Rem
naiasance It attained It's highest dig
nifty. jewelers. IN tho italian cities
that period were often oculptors ane
painters ~ well. and were oftsn quite
as famous for their work in 5ewelr,
+ a. for that IN other arta Botticeu!
venuto Csllini n another celebrated
Italian Of the sixteenth century wht
was jewelsr and goldsmith and mad'
beautiful ornaments for the gorgeou'
potentatss OF that day.
FINE HANDICRAFT FORMERLY
Until the introduction Of mNchiner!
the making Of jewelry remained
fine handicrAft. In colonial days II
this country. and in tho early days o
tho republic. there were many gold
smiths. soms of whom enjoyed con
siderable regulations. altho they wer'
not to be compared with the grea
nr4isfa ~ ronnaiaAnca ItAly, Tn
making Of cheap jswelry by machin
cry was . blow TO fine work by hand
Just - machine work was to makinI
Of pottery. fabrics and many oths
things II II true. the designer still
was necessary, but long ssries OF ar
ticles were made on a single design
and both tho execution OF designs an
tho materials to be used were limite'
by machine processes.
Modern designers OF 5ewelry dc no
seem to achieve regulations outside o
their own trade. II II charaeteristi
OF modern industrialism that tn
artists are buried under the business
so that an especially beautiful piec'
of work is known by tho name OF tn
firm that sold II but never by that o
the man who created IT,
Furthermore. the designer and tn
workmen are now distinct where onc'
they wcro tho same person. Some
times the Jcwelry manufacturer him
SELF II the designer. while he cmployl
tho highly skilled workmcn to carr,
out HIS ideas. Tho designer Ia AZ
artist possessed with n thoro know
ledge Of jeweiry construction ant
usually ono who has grown up In th'
| business.
HOW JEWELS ARE DESIGNED
When a customer desires a brooch