International studio (57.1915/1916)

Hand-Built Jewellerv


result is fairly good. The craftsmen, however,
have brought the necessity of making better
jewellery to them and are exercising a strong
influence on the manufacturing business as a
whole. When it comes to the true artistic produc-
tion of the crafts, only the man who conceived
the production can create it.
Germany has a distinct type of work. France
has gone to extravagance in very naturalistic
forms. England has made great use of her
museums for inspiration from antique jewellery.
Italy produces dolphins and other reproductions
of ancient forms.
In America we have not the opportunity to
study the old forms. Our museums are void of
European jewellery. The craftsmen have had to
depend on their own resources and inspiration for
their designs. The type of work produced comes
from a clear brain, fresh in thought and new in
ideals.
The spirit of the master craftsman, however,
has always been the same. We, too, are building

into this art the old spirit in our own forms. The
result has been that while we are not so skilful
in handling filigree, the grapevine, the winged
scarab or Saint George and the Dragon, we have
attained brilliancy in execution in other lines.
Helen K. Mills has done important eccle-
siastical work. She and Eleanor Deming in
collaboration have just finished a remarkable
series of twenty-three small plates (i Jfi x 2 inches)
in Champtere enamel, of the twelfth century
period, by Durr Friedley of the Metropolitan
Museum, eighteen to be placed on a tabernacle
and four to go on a cross, in a small memorial
church in Newport. These are done on copper
and gilded; are of opaque enamel with the egg
shell finish, which means rubbed down by hand
to a dull finish.
Twelve of these have one head each, six have
two heads each. They are the twenty-four elders
with long beards, jewelled crowns and sceptres,
blue robes, black background, black stripes in
the border; and some yellows, greens, and other
colours give them life and vitality. Miss Mills
also made the ciborium of silver gilt and
jewels for the same chapel. This is a great
achievement in craftsmanship.
Lilia Whitcomb Davis is distinguished for fine
handling of the chasing tool. In the exhibition
of her work, recently held at the National Society
of Craftsmen, were fine examples of this. Miss
Davis makes all her own chasing tools which gives
a perfect sympathy between her ideals and the
metal under the tool. She was one of the first to
enter the craft when it was introduced at Pratt
Institute. She had already a good basic knowledge
of design. Her early jewellery training consisted
in tool making and doing exercises for practice.
In her studio is a beautiful flower done in re-
pousse, masterfully handled, each drawing of
the tool exquisitely felt. This is in copper—it
was an exercise. At home she has a garden and
rose leaves which are one of her themes—she
understands them. Her work has a strong
brilliancy—rich in colour and fearless.
Josephine Hartwell Shaw is one of our best-
known craftsmen. She, also, had fine training
in design. But in spite of that, she has developed
a splendid style of her own, beautiful and master-
ful in form and handling, interesting in arrange-
ment and variety, skilful in modelling. The
shapes are always simple and the exercise of a
wonderful reserve plays brilliantly within the

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