Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-30

years ago a customer happened to
step into a picture-frame store in this
city and ask the young son of the
proprietor il he could make a pair of
those new-fangled plaster book-ends
which were in Some of the novelty
shops then beginning to spring up in
Washington. The young clerk
oned" he could. From that accepted
commission has grown up in half a
dozen years one of the largest bust
nesses in the world which has for Its
purpose the bringing of really fine art
| within reach OF the people.
The clerk did not realize then. when
the customer made his unusual re-
quest. that destiny had stepped in
through the door Of the dusky little
shop: yet today. six yeara later.
Frank Niepold, the former clerk. has
wide recognition as an artist with a
genuine talent. Wealth Is coming to
the famous portrait painter, have
placed their approval on his work.
And Frank Niepold il only 80 years
old. =.
The business which he and his
father and two brothers now conduct
is called the manufacture Of Borghese
reproductions. It consists OF taking
the loveliest designs and art objects
of the Italian renaissance period n
adapting them, through reproduction.
~ household use and characterization
today. III ii
A few years ago in this country OBJ
iects of such beauty could be seen
only in museums or In the private
collections of wealthy men. Today
anyone for the expenditure OF a few
dollars can own one of. these orna-
ments. an art object authentic in ev-
erything except age-and ever that is
c1everly initiated. So successful are
the Niepold reproductions that re-
tailers selling them sometimes adver-
tise them as imported goods. unaware
that the modern craftsmen Of Italy
and France are not producing any
thing as fine as these. r.
When the original customer who
wanted the book-ends had left the
shop. young Niepold began casting
around In his mind for something
that would do. He was even then
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 a piece of rather heavy picture
framing Of a design which Niepold
admired. From this he simply sawed
out two like sections. painted n fin
ished them, covered the contact sides
with felt. and placed them in a show
case to await the return Of the GUS
toner.
Immediate Demand Discovered.
While they were there, another Gus
toner noticed them and asked for a
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 a casting material called
carton pierre, which is a sort OF pa.
pis mache initiating stone or bronze
and out OF which statues are some
ltook the original book-ehds for a
model, and cast several pairs, Of
them. These the Fstore sold almost as
fast as the embryo factoryScould fin
About this time Niepo,ds vent to
New York. where he visited the Met
ropolitan Museum-of Art, q .f9yorite;
haunt Of his In the metropolis. There
he saw the magnificent 1ta1iang art
collection OF tho a Mr.. u. PsssM0r.
gan. That view gave him the definite
idea OF reproducing Italian renais-
sance decoration in articies designed,
for modern use. The italian. artists
Of the sixteenth century didsnot make
Icigarette boxes, for instance but they
did make small ornamental boxes, the
designs of, which couldabe adapted to
boxes shaped to hold cigarettes.
His first step was to design another
pair OF book-ends,y this tiDte nm orig
inal design IN th~e5renaissAnce manner.
He followed this with Other book
ends. They all sold MelL first In the
Nispoidss own store, then An various
lGtft, novelty and chtnaG stores in
washington CoIvirced, that this
might be the nucleus 81 asprpsperous
Iiidustry. the Niepo3dG trisd the ex-
pertinent al sending safasnnan Out
with the slim iine of .prcducts; and,
lalthough he solicited tonly In ffe
Ietstern cittds. heRtook orders 30 rap
l9dly that the na6nufacturers rave up
hA1f&nlcfNtAsffayaA akdfaG nnnNaA