DOI Heft:
No. 87 (June, 1900)
DOI Artikel:Suggestions for the improvement of sporting cups and trophies, [2]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19785#0062
Sporting Cups.
they are cut out in such a manner as to preserve to the work which they ought to complete, will be
their natural irregularity of form, they are most avoided.
valuable as adjuncts to the decoration of silver-work. Another important thing is to turn to good account
We are glad to find that already one importer of all pleasing peculiarities in the shapes of stones,
precious stones, Mr. A. Wainwright, of 97 Spencer By way of example, take a gem as irregular in form
Street, Birmingham, is getting together from various as water-worn pebbles are. Most lapidaries would
parts of the world examples of beautiful minerals cut it into a perfect oval or a perfect round, and
and cutting them in such a manner as to adapt by so doing would destroy much of its beauty, and
them for use by the worker in silver and gold of its distinctive character and charm. Natural
plate; and we wish here to acknowledge our irregularities should be retained as often as is
indebtedness to him for giving us an opportunity possible; and be it noted again that flawed gems,
of examining many uncommon and serviceable having a fine play of broken colour, may be bought
specimens. cheaply and should be highly prized by the artist
A few words may be said with advantage now who works in metal,
about the setting of stones in metal-work. The The illustrations this month represent designs
best way is to fix them firmly in simple bezels, by five artists : Miss Mary G. Houston, Miss
taking care to regard them, not as mere orna- Gertrude Smith, Mr. Onslow Whiting, Mr. D.
mental accessories, but as dangerous tests of the Veazey, and Mr. F. Derwent Wood,
competence of craftsmen, for jewels are to metal- Place aux dames ! Miss Houston has for
workers what superlatives have ever been to several years been noticed as a designer of rare
writers ; and if this fact is kept constantly in promise. Down till now her successes have been
mind the mistake of employing stones so freely won in the art of decorating flat surfaces, but
as to make them obtrusive, and therefore harmful to-day she proves that she is no less fortunate
when working " in the round." Her
three - handled loving - cup has a
large style, is boldly constructed,
and full of a true feeling for
silverwork. As to the pleasing
severity of the archaic form, that
comes from a Celtic source. It was
suggested, not by a piece of old
Welsh earthenware, but by the Dun-
vegan Cup, a famous Irish mether, a
long description of which may be
found in Note M to Sir Walter
Scott's " Lord of the Isles."
The other cup designed by Miss
Houston has a different kind of
austere form and attractiveness.
The strongest of its good points will
be found where most modern cups
are very weak — i.e. in the foot.
There are defects, it is true, the
surface being somewhat "tight," and
the waves suggested on the lid rather
small in treatment; and many will
think that the sail held by the little
figure blows away from the rest of
the design to the injury of the
essential close union of all the parts.
But these blemishes are matters of
detail, and could easily be remedied.
yachting cup in silver designed and wrought by Miss Gertrude Smith is a metal-
gertrude smith worker, and her aim in designing
44
they are cut out in such a manner as to preserve to the work which they ought to complete, will be
their natural irregularity of form, they are most avoided.
valuable as adjuncts to the decoration of silver-work. Another important thing is to turn to good account
We are glad to find that already one importer of all pleasing peculiarities in the shapes of stones,
precious stones, Mr. A. Wainwright, of 97 Spencer By way of example, take a gem as irregular in form
Street, Birmingham, is getting together from various as water-worn pebbles are. Most lapidaries would
parts of the world examples of beautiful minerals cut it into a perfect oval or a perfect round, and
and cutting them in such a manner as to adapt by so doing would destroy much of its beauty, and
them for use by the worker in silver and gold of its distinctive character and charm. Natural
plate; and we wish here to acknowledge our irregularities should be retained as often as is
indebtedness to him for giving us an opportunity possible; and be it noted again that flawed gems,
of examining many uncommon and serviceable having a fine play of broken colour, may be bought
specimens. cheaply and should be highly prized by the artist
A few words may be said with advantage now who works in metal,
about the setting of stones in metal-work. The The illustrations this month represent designs
best way is to fix them firmly in simple bezels, by five artists : Miss Mary G. Houston, Miss
taking care to regard them, not as mere orna- Gertrude Smith, Mr. Onslow Whiting, Mr. D.
mental accessories, but as dangerous tests of the Veazey, and Mr. F. Derwent Wood,
competence of craftsmen, for jewels are to metal- Place aux dames ! Miss Houston has for
workers what superlatives have ever been to several years been noticed as a designer of rare
writers ; and if this fact is kept constantly in promise. Down till now her successes have been
mind the mistake of employing stones so freely won in the art of decorating flat surfaces, but
as to make them obtrusive, and therefore harmful to-day she proves that she is no less fortunate
when working " in the round." Her
three - handled loving - cup has a
large style, is boldly constructed,
and full of a true feeling for
silverwork. As to the pleasing
severity of the archaic form, that
comes from a Celtic source. It was
suggested, not by a piece of old
Welsh earthenware, but by the Dun-
vegan Cup, a famous Irish mether, a
long description of which may be
found in Note M to Sir Walter
Scott's " Lord of the Isles."
The other cup designed by Miss
Houston has a different kind of
austere form and attractiveness.
The strongest of its good points will
be found where most modern cups
are very weak — i.e. in the foot.
There are defects, it is true, the
surface being somewhat "tight," and
the waves suggested on the lid rather
small in treatment; and many will
think that the sail held by the little
figure blows away from the rest of
the design to the injury of the
essential close union of all the parts.
But these blemishes are matters of
detail, and could easily be remedied.
yachting cup in silver designed and wrought by Miss Gertrude Smith is a metal-
gertrude smith worker, and her aim in designing
44