538 



NATURE 



[December 23, 1920 



the principal forms of bowls employed. The 

 evolution of the forms and decoration is worked 

 out in a most lucid and interesting: manner. The 

 chronological value of this development is further 

 described in chap, vii., and in chap. vi. we have 

 an interesting discussion of the origin of the 

 decorative designs. The figure-subjects are mostly 

 to be traced to the art of the Augustan period, and 

 the decorative motives in many cases to earlier 

 phases of Greek art. It seems a little doubtful, 



Fig. 2. — Vase of La Graufesenque ware (Form 30) 

 combining scrolls with figure subjects (about a. d. 60). 



however, whether motives and methods of decora- 

 tion which were employed in early Greek art, and 

 disappeared in the sixth century B.C., or even 

 earlier, can have actually influenced the Roman 

 potter. An instance is the " nautilus " ornament 

 found on the Arretine vases and some early Gaul- 

 ish wares of the first century after Christ. The 

 nautilus certainly occurs in Minoan pottery, but 

 its use was localised, and it is not known in Greek 

 art. It is possible that this pattern is really in- 

 tended to represent a fern-frond. 



Chap. viii. is devoted to a discussion of the plain 

 wares which have only potters' stamps without 

 decoration, and chap. ix. to other methods of 

 decorating sigillata ware by painting, incising, or 

 en barhotine (patterns produced in relief by thick 

 layers of liquid clay). The final chapter deals 

 with the origin and evolution of terra sigillata, and 

 is a general summing up of the whole subject. 



There are no fewer than eighty-five excellent 

 plates, all drawn by hand, with adequate biblio- 



FlG. 3.— Vase of Lezoux ware (Form 37) with panel decoration (about 



A.D. tool. 



graphical references, and a useful map of sites 

 forming the frontispiece. The general and detailed 

 bibliographies on pp. 245 ff. will also be invaluable 

 to the student of the subject. We should have 

 been glad to discuss this admirable work in much 

 fuller detail, but space forbids, and we can only 

 recommend those who have any interest in the 

 subject to lose no time in becoming acquainted 

 with its contents. 



Our illustrations reproduce three typical forms 

 of Gaulish vases with decoration. 



Industrial Research Associations. 



VII. — The Research Association of British Motor and .Allied Manufacturers. 



By H. S. RowELL. 



NO branch of engineering is so much the 

 creature of taste and lashion as the auto- 

 mobile industry. No industry of anything like 

 the same dimensions is so much dependent on 

 the views, almost the caprices, of the layman. 

 Almost certainly no industry in this country has 

 had such a meteoric or rather rocket-like post-war 

 career as that responsible for the manufacture of 

 motor vehicles. These facts must be borne in 

 mind in considering th§ development of the 

 Research Association of British Motor and Allied 

 Manufacturers. 



After the armistice the release of petrol supplies, 

 the diversion of manufacturing agencies from war 

 work, and the natural desire of an overworked 

 public for convenient locomotion and healthy re- 

 laxation gave the motor-car trade an unprece- 

 dented boom. Motor-car manufacturers were not 

 only confronted with all the distracting problems 

 of reconstruction, but, in addition, they had pros- 



NO. 2669, VOL. 106] 



pects of — -several firms, indeed, had orders for — 

 some years of work. While one or two other re- 

 search associations v^-ere formed as a vital neces- 

 sity to preserve the existence of the corresponding 

 industries against foreign competition, the motor 

 trade had at the time of the incorporation of this 

 association in May, 1919, no such incentive. At 

 that time to many in the motor industry it must 

 have seemed a luxury, if not an extravagance. 

 Those who have had to do with the inauguration 

 of new societies, especially of societies novel in 

 form or object, know how much work and time are 

 involved in seeking, and often in reconciling or 

 converting, the views of busy men. Even then 

 much preliminary work is necessary before staff 

 can be appointed for the necessary executive work. 

 The Research Association of British Motor and 

 Allied Manufacturers was formed under the aegis 

 of the Association of British Motor Manufacturers, 

 and it is largely to the energy and enthusiasm of 



