DOI Heft:
No. 55 (October, 1897)
DOI Artikel:The Guild of Handicraft: a visit to Essex House
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18390#0057
A Visit to Essex House
The cabinetmakers'
shop has a certain distinc-
tion which implies a differ-
ence from the ordinary
trade workshop. There is
no machinery to be seen,
and the men as a rule
carry each piece of work
right through from the
silver brooch with i'endant in gold, silver brooch beginning. One is struck
AMETHYST pearls and red enamel set with carbuncle with the HlOre human
designed and executed at essex house character which it appears
the mosaic worker. It
has to be broken up,
pounded in a mortar, and
reduced to something like
a powder before it is fit to
apply to the surface to be
enamelled. The first
covering, usually of a
whitish colour, is called
the "flux." It is painted
or dusted on the copper,
or other metal, which is
then heated to such degree
as causes the fusion of the
enamel and its adhesion
to the metal. When the
flux is established, the
colour is applied in a
similar manner according
to the colour or design
required. One colour may necklace in blue enamel set with pearls
be dusted on to a part designed and executed at essex house
or the whole of another.
With an eye for effect, the most brilliant results may
be obtained. The firing is done in a small fire-clay
furnace with gas, and success depends on the proper
degree of firing, the equality of heat and some other
circumstances which are very obscure. Failure is by
no means uncommon. A heart-breaking process truly
is the art of enamelling. A piece may be perfect in
colouring, texture, and quality, yet may be marred
by some little part which cracks and threatens to
scale. The heat may have been too much, or too
little, or if the piece be large, insufficiently uniform.
It is very difficult to see into the furnace, for the
glow is blinding, and, after all, a pair of goggles or
the shield of the hand is but small protection. It
is little wonder, then, that in the enamel shop Mr.
Ashbee and his assistants had to undergo no end of
vexations before they could produce results with any
buckle and l'in
degree of certainty. designed and executed at essex house
The cabinetmakers'
shop has a certain distinc-
tion which implies a differ-
ence from the ordinary
trade workshop. There is
no machinery to be seen,
and the men as a rule
carry each piece of work
right through from the
silver brooch with i'endant in gold, silver brooch beginning. One is struck
AMETHYST pearls and red enamel set with carbuncle with the HlOre human
designed and executed at essex house character which it appears
the mosaic worker. It
has to be broken up,
pounded in a mortar, and
reduced to something like
a powder before it is fit to
apply to the surface to be
enamelled. The first
covering, usually of a
whitish colour, is called
the "flux." It is painted
or dusted on the copper,
or other metal, which is
then heated to such degree
as causes the fusion of the
enamel and its adhesion
to the metal. When the
flux is established, the
colour is applied in a
similar manner according
to the colour or design
required. One colour may necklace in blue enamel set with pearls
be dusted on to a part designed and executed at essex house
or the whole of another.
With an eye for effect, the most brilliant results may
be obtained. The firing is done in a small fire-clay
furnace with gas, and success depends on the proper
degree of firing, the equality of heat and some other
circumstances which are very obscure. Failure is by
no means uncommon. A heart-breaking process truly
is the art of enamelling. A piece may be perfect in
colouring, texture, and quality, yet may be marred
by some little part which cracks and threatens to
scale. The heat may have been too much, or too
little, or if the piece be large, insufficiently uniform.
It is very difficult to see into the furnace, for the
glow is blinding, and, after all, a pair of goggles or
the shield of the hand is but small protection. It
is little wonder, then, that in the enamel shop Mr.
Ashbee and his assistants had to undergo no end of
vexations before they could produce results with any
buckle and l'in
degree of certainty. designed and executed at essex house