Evening star., 1936-08-09
About Well-KnOWn Folk
In Books, Art, Politics
Mrs. Grace Roper Bohn Holds Unique Job.
Town Hallers Look Forward to
Lord Bertrand Russell.


would seem to be more satisfactory.
The National Museum, following the
practice of placing small exhibits in
some prominent place in the Museum,
has, during the past few weeks, ex-
hibited in the foyer on the Tenth
street side small but rare collection
of Stiegal glass, which has been of
great interest just at this time owing
to the revived hobby Of collecting ole
American glassware. There are at
present enormous importations of
glassware from the Central European
countries and from the Orient In
fact, the shops are so filled with it
that it is difficult to pick up off-hand
a piece of American make.
The arrangement of the exhibition
of Stiegel glass in the Museum is very
attractive, containing as it does some
antique examples of the industry in
this country as we'll as the progress
of the art. A small whale oil lamp,
about IA inches high, which once was
the property of Ralph Waldo Emerson
and in which he doubtless burned the
midnight oil, while not beautiful shows
the progress made in design when
compared to earlier pieces. 1t is a
choice piece. too because Of its asso-
citation with the transcendental essay
ist and poet-Whom the testy Thomas
Carlyle spoke of on his first meeting
Emerson as a wind bag" An inter-
eSting piece Is a sandwich blue glass
salt cellar with a head of Lafayette
in relief and under it inscribed La
fayete." The sandwich blue differs
very much from the Bristol blue,
which was largely used by Stiegel.
There are unique bottles showing the
enamel and engraving of the time,
which were done by German and Eng
lish craftsmen, brought by Stiegel to
this country. The historical develop
ment of the two European influences
is interesting to collectors. Pieces
showing William Henry Harrison's IA
nous log cabin, the Bunker Hill Mon
ument and heads of the early Presi-
dents, are in this collection.
Stiegel Interesting
And Amusing.
Stiegel, who must have been a per-
fectly delightful and amusing char
acter and who was generally known
as Baron Stiegel" due to his man
ner of living and pompous airs, came
to this country about l750, when a
very young man, and shortly after
married the daughter of rich owner
of iron works in Lancaster County,
Pa. In 1853 he began experimenting
with glass-making. turning out chiefly
glass bottles. Later he established
Elizabeth Furnace-named for his
wife-at Charming Ford, Pa. He
seemed to at once have had an affec-
ton for his adopted country and had
visions of its great industrial and
commercial possibilities. His wares
became popular and were widely ad-
vertised as shown in an old copy of.
the Pennsylvania Gazette of June 81,
It'll: This is to acquaint the public
and my kind customers that large
stock of Stiegel glass, ETC., ETC." He
brought from Germany, Holland and
England, glass blowers and decora-
tors, forming most interesting COM
munity of workmen. While he made
comfortable fortune he was always
in debt and spent some time in prison
on account of it, ending his last days
as a teacher of music.
Interesting Ceremony
At Mannheim, Pa.
There still Is ceremony observed at
Mannheim, Pa, where he lived, which
takes place on the second Sunday in
June and which is called The Feast |
of the Roses" 1t is described as most |
picturesque, and brings into promin-
ence one day in the year the town
of Mannheim which, when the pageant |
is over, sinks back into its accustomed |
obscurity. On this day the name of |
Stiegel is again the theme. 1t seems |
that in his time when property was
sold for a nominal cash considera- |
ton, to add also a nominal annual |
rent. a pepper corn or a grain of |
wheat was favorite consideration.
When Stiegel gave the lot and money
for the old Zion Luther Church at |
Mannheim, instead of the pepper corn |
or grain of wheat he gave a red rose |
as the fee, and this rose is a motif
in many pieces of Stiegel glass. The
largest collection of Stiegel glass is
perhaps in the Metropolitan Museum.
New York, and in the Leslie BusWell |
collection at Gloucester, Mass.