Evening star., 1938-02-15

NIitllCHn sliNSI NJ tllt DooGOH Mu-
se'lm of Fine Arts. The pieces in the
, exhibition we're heirlooms of families
whose ancestors were prominent in
Colonial days and from private col
1eCtlons. and in all comprised over
three hundred pieces. The excellent
preparation of the catalogue for this
exhibition was probably the first gen.
eral information compiled on Ameri-
can silver and silversmiths. including
facts on the work and lives of over
four hundred workers. It was also
the first time that the public was
aware that American silver stood in
q class by itself for distinction and
excellence. quite apart from European
influence.
Of all the early silversmiths the
name of Paul Revere is the best
known. His patriotic adventures may
have given the name the necessary
publicity but his silverplate remains
as monument to his good taste and
artistic ability. There were three
Reveres. The father, Paul settled in
Boston in 1928. He apprenticed to
John Coney. the best silversmith in
Boston at the time, and later opened
shop Of his own. His son, the pa
triot. is the best known of the three.
IN addition to mis- patriotic adven-
lures and his silver work he was an
etcher and engraver, maker of bells
and cannons, he also had a shop in
Boston called a hardware shop" in
which he sold jewelry. false teeth and
frames for Copley's famous portraits.
The war days called him into further
action so he manufactured gunpowder,
outfltted regiments and led them into
battle. AS is often the case with men
Of action he suffered the jealousy and
false accusations of lesser men. He
came home from the war to spend
over two years in the courts. where he
insisted on complete investigation
} to clear his reputation and name, then
he plunged into work to rehabilitate
his fortune.
HE ENGRAVED political cartoons.
hookplates and scenes of import
snce in the city. such as Harvard Col
iege. He accepted important Govern
ment commissions for the designing
of plates for engraving paper money.
Later he took his son into business
with him. and they opened a brass
foundry, where they made fittings for
ships. In 1893 they made all the
spikes, bolts and pumps for the United
States frigate. Constitution. In 1901
they rolled 1000 square feet of metal
for recoppering the dome of the State
house in Boston. In addition to this
enterprise the son also worked in sill
YER, SO that we find in collections to-
day pieces made by three Reveres, p.
Revere. the elder: Paul Revere, the
patriot, and his son, Joseph Warren
Revere.
There were many others, most of
them in Boston. because that was the
center Of interest in American-made
products and of wealth. but Phila-
delphia had its Philip Syng in 1880,
Newport its Samuel Vernon at about
the same time. Later came Jabez
Gorhsm in Providence. the founder
Of 3 celebrated house of silversmiths
, In 1880 it was not possible to 60 to
a shop and select from a large collec-
ton gift for young bride or a new
baby. In the first place the customer
usually furnished the silver Coins |
and old broken or battered silverware
had to be collected until the necessary
amount was secured, then turned over
to the silversmith. who rolled or ham, |
mered it into sheet. The silver
smith worked up drawings carrying |