The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-02
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
Fx&KDERTc >. HzsKM. Dareeser.
Wellington, d. O.



years ago customer happened to
step into picture-frame store in this
city and ask the young son of the
proprietor If he could make a pair of
those newfangfed plaster book-ends
which were in some of the novelty
shops then beginning to spring up
| in Washington The young clerk
| scratched his head ana said he
"reekoned' he could. From that az
cepted commission has grown up in
half a dozen years one of the largest
businesses in the world which has for
its purpose the bringing of really fine
art within reach of the people.
This clerk did not realize then, when
the customer made his unusual re-
quest, that destiny had stepped in thru
the door of the dusky little shop; yet
today, six years later, Frank Niepold,
the former clerk, has wide recognition
as an artist with a genuine talent.
Wealth is coming to him. Such critics
as John Sargent, the famous portrait
painter, have placed their approval on
his work. And Frank Niepold is only
80 years old.
The business which he and his
father and two brothers now conduct
is called the Manufacture of Borghese
reproductions. 1t consists of taking
the loyeIiest designs and art objects
of the Italian renaissance period and
adapting them, thru reproduction, TO
household use and ornamentation to-
day.
A few years ago in this country
objects OF such beauty could be seen
only in museums or in the private coll
leotions of wealthy men. Today any
one for the expenditure of few, doll
lars can own one of these ornaments,
an art object authentic in everything
except age-and even that is cleverly
initiated. So successful are the Me
po1d reproductions that retailers SELL
ing them sometimes advertise them
as imported goods, unaware that the
modern craftsmen of Italy and France
are not producing anything as fine as
these.
When the original customer who
wanted the book-ends had left the
shop, young Niepold began casting
around in his mind for something
from his own study capable of de-
signing a suitable piece, but there
was not need at the time for original
work, In the stores there happened
to be piece of rather heavy picture
framing of q design which Niepold
out two like sections, painted and
finished them, covered the contact
sides with felt, and placed them in
show case to await the return of
the customer.
Immediate Demand Discovered.
While they were there, another
customer noticed them and asked for
pair Just like them. 1t was obvious
that here was an object for which
there was a demand. Meanwhile,
however, the original order had used
up the entire piece of picture frame;
and to carve another pair from wood
was out of the question because of
the expense
The young artist knew of the ex-
istence of casting material called
carton pierre, which is sort of papier
maehe initiating stone or bronze and
out of which statues are sometimes
made. He used this material, took
the original book-ends for a model,
and cast several pairs of them. These
the store sold almost as fast as the
embryo factory could finish them.
About this time Niepold went to
New York, where he visited the Met
ropol1tan Museum of Art, a favorite
haunt of his in the metropolis There
he saw the magnificent Italian art
collection of the late Mr.. j. p Nor
gan. That view gave him the definite
idea of reproducing italian renais-
sance decoration in articles designed
for modern use. The Italian artists
of the sixteenth century did not make
cigaret boxes, for instance; but they
did make small ornamental boxes, the
designs of which could be adapted to
boxes shaped to hold cigarets
AAA5 III ST step was 10 design aQOIh0r
pair of book-ends, this time an orig
inal design in the renaissance man
ner. He followed this with other
book-ends. They all sold well, first
in the Niepolds' own store, then in
various gift, novelty and china stores
in Washington. Convinced that this
might be the nucleus of a prosperous
industry, the Niepolds tried the ex-
pertinent of sending a statesmen out
with the slim line of products; and.
altho he solicited only in the eastern
cities, he took orders SO rapidly that
the manufa cturers gave up their pic
ture-frame store and moved INTO quar-
tiers where there was space for pour
ing rooms, baking, storage and finish
ing rooms, and the like. Since then
they have attended to this manufac-
ture exclusively.
Frank Niepold began sleeping him
SELF in the art of the italian renais- |
sance period. He took in. exhibitions,
stadied books and catalogs, and ac-
CURED rare pictures. + Eventually ne |
visited Italy and there not only saw
the great museum and private collec-
lions, but acquired for himself numer-
Gus genuine pieces. And as his knowl- |
edge broadened, he increased the
number OF designs in manufacture in |
his plant until now they number sew
eral hundred, the objects including
fruit bowls, wall sconces, and brackets, /
decorative panels and altar pieces, |
candle sticks, jewel boxes, plaques, and |
medieval busts. The first book-end |
designed continues to be a steady |
favorite.
Even as the Niepolds increased their |
range of pieces, they improved the |
composition in which the objects are
cast. This question of material was
a problem from the outset. The old |
italian artists used wood. which was |
carved and then covered with plaster |
before being finished. But even with |
the marvels which modern wood-turn- |
ing machinery is able to accomplish, |
wood itself was out of the question |
for this work It is impossible nova |
days to obtain in commercial quanti- |
ties wood so long seasoned that it will !
not warp or shrink. But any warping |
or shrinking under the plaster coat |
would be fatal to the durability of the |
ornament. |
Plaster Not Suitable. i