Studio: international art (8.1896)

Home Arts and Industries Association

leather work designed by alice shepherd

Leighton Buzzard

and highly-raised patterns, remains quite outside
the sympathy of The Studio.

The Chiswick Branch showed some capital book-
bindings, wood-carving, and other objects of much
interest. Originality in design was not conspicuous,

" della robbia " jar

designed by miss g. buckler Birkenhead

98

but the work maintained a good level, and the craft
of the bookbinding (so far as one could judge ob-
jects seen in glass cases) was very creditable. The
Sandringham stall had a large number of well-
executed designs, but with all wish to acknowledge
the interest displayed by royalty, it cannot be said
that the designs were the best in the exhibition. It
would be pleasant, but not true, to state that this
school led the van. "Under the patronage of the
gracious lady to whom all the British Empire pays
unalloyed fealty—the well-beloved Princess who
has given her time and interest so liberally—one
had hoped to find the best designers and tutors
enlisted as allies. Perhaps nothing would advance

tray-stand Sandringham

the cause of the association more than to see Sand-
ringham the leader in all respects.

Leighton Buzzard can be commended, and the
lace industry of Bucks, Beds, Devon, and Northamp-
ton, under the energetic management of Mrs. Bruce
Clarke, showed several designs of conspicuous merit
and some very dainty fabrics. Windermere was
noticeable for excellent embroidery; a piece here
illustrated obtained the highest award of five gold
stars, which it fully deserved. " Traditional handi-
crafts," a most interesting section, showed new
recruits to the old industries, the metal bound
"oak pitches " being, if not the most novel, for we
have seen them in former years, perhaps the most
interesting. Fivemiletown, Ireland, so easily
headed the whole body of metal workers, so far as
design is concerned, that it was not surprising to