Evening star., 1927-03-20
Artificial Marble.

THERE are several processes where
by a substitute for marble is pro-
duced so perfectly that even experts
may be deceived. Furthermore, the
processes are by no means costly.
Real marble costs anywhere from 81
| to $40 q yard.
The imitation marble is manufac-
tured from secret cement mixtures
Not only is the lik.-Sess perfect for
| one kind, but % different marbles can
| be reproduced by these wonderful
processes. Wherever we see real mar
| BILE, this beautiful and wonderful pol
ished stone from Italy or Numidia, or
| other parts of the world, and even our
domestic marbles, where cut from the
solid, natural stone, the delicate
tracery and cOloring seem closely as
sociated with the worlds history.
The origin of marble, the romance of
its discovery, the quarrying and polish
ing, the whole history of each piece
has always with it the charm of
beauty and age. But now we can no
longer be sure; this beautiful Numid-
ian marble balustrade with those deli
cate shadings of red and brown may
have come from far-off lands, quarry
heWn by swarthy sons of the desert,
but 1t is just as likely that it was
made right at home and has only been
in existence few months.
with the new processes can be
made wainscoting, molding, mantels.
arches, balustrades, counters, tables.
walls, flooring, architectural orna-
ments and many other items. Some
of the kinds most frequently initiated
are the white-veined Queen Anne, the
Numidian, Convent Sienna, white
I q ~ HOY
bles.
With a certain secret process newly
discovered an imitation of French
Caen stone can be produced from ce-
ment and this can be carved and treat
ed In every way as the ordinary build
ing stone that is used so constantly
In architectural finishing. In a SINH
lar manner. ordinary Portland cement
can be polished and then finished as
substitute for marble.
The great possibilities of the new
products can best be appreciated by
architects and builders, and the mag.
nllcent marble vestibules. halls and
entrances, pillars and entire floor and
wainscoting in houses and public
buildings made with the manufac-
tured article are evidences of it's sue.
cess.
Not only do these built marbles look
and reel like the real stone, but the
manufacturers claim that they with
stand the severest tests in the way of
strain. heat, shock, as electric cur
rent insulators and all the adverse
elements to which any architectural
work is subjected. AS electrical tests
have been successful, the new material
can be used to- advantage in the max.
ing of power switchboards. Tests have
bpRn made 0f slate
cement process. the surface finishing
being In verde antique imitation, these
slabs having withStood a test of
10000 volts without damage.
Artificial marble can also be We
neered on wood or ordinary stone.
Slabs with the finish of Vermont mar.
BILE. faced on wood. appear as genuine
as the solid stone.
The inventor of the new process be-
gan in the statuary business and
visitors escorted through the marble
factory" are first shown through rooms
where are life-size statues of vari
Gus sorts. In another room are vast
shelves filled with what at first appear
to be mummy cases tied with string:
but a closer inspection shows them to
be sectional molds of some of the fin.
lshed statues just inspected. To pre-.
vent confusion, they are labeled and
the visitor can see st. Anthony rest
ing quietly next to some local town
celebrity, recently done in plaster, st.
Patrick lying on both of them, while
crowding all around are various bibli-
cal, ancient and modern historical
characters, children, animals and
creatures. But the new
marble making has crowded them per-
to the shelf.
The visitor is also shown a globe
about two rect In diameter that ap-
pears to be solid marble; one-quarrer
seemingly being verde antique. or the
green French marble, another gray
Italian, and a third Sienna marble.
but all of these are perfect limitations,
the delicate lines and wonderful pol.
ish of the real stone being evident.
Yet the manufacturer states that the
globe was made in his factory.
Another part of the factory is ar
ranged for handling the veneering
processes; another. the polishing;
while the special orders and statuary
work have a room apart. After the
polishing and the last drying and
the slabs are stored In
great racks from which they are cut
md sold as the market demands.