74 
HERAMIC STUDIO 
INDIAN BOWL IN THE COLLECTION OF C. H. ROBINSONT 
a circular or semi-circular implement with notches or cogs 
was used to impress the figure by indentation. A few show 
that cords were tied about the vessel while soft, but in nearly 
all the ornamentation appears to be conventional rather 
than original. 
A study of the prehistoric pottery of the United 
States would be of great interest to the keramic clubs, 
especially as to the process of manufacture by coiling. 
ART LOANS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. 
From a report of United States Consul Halsiead. Birmingham, England. 
AVERY useful educational purpose is served by the 
practice of lending to schools of art in different 
English cities objects of art from the National Museums. 
As an instance, the Government Board of Education has 
this year sent from the Victoria and Albert Museum, in 
South Kensington, London, an interesting loan collection of 
objects of art for use in the Birmingham Municipal School 
of Art until the close of the current season in June, 1905. 
The selection was made not only with a knowledge of the 
work being done in that school, but also with the idea of 
suggesting methods not at present practiced in the school. 
I believe it is an example which the United States might 
well follow, and that a useful purpose will be served by re- 
printing the following paragraphs from an article in the 
Birmingham Daily Mail, describing the collection now on 
exhibition : 
The objects cover a wide area of craftsmanship : Metal 
work, enameling, jewelry, wood carving, embroidery, wood 
engraving, drawing in black and white for book illustration, 
illuminated manuscripts, lettering, gesso ornament, decora- 
tive painting, etc. 
A plaque, damascened with silver and gold, of Italian 
workmanship (i6th century) is a good example of a pretty 
method of decoration which has rather gone out of use, but 
which might well be revived in Birmingham. Another 
possible local revival is suggested by the inclusion in the 
loan of a very beautiful lock plate, in pierced and engraved 
brass, made in Birmingham during the later half of the 1 7th 
century. In design this lock plate would hold its own with 
the work of any period. The name of its maker, Johannes 
Wilkes, is engraved on its base. Again, a chatelaine of 
pierced steel made in Birmingham in the 1 8th century is an 
example of beautiful workmanship. Long and patient 
effort alone could have produced such a piece of work. 
Among other examples of metal work is an electrotype 
of a 13th century reliquary (Norwegian) of sheet metal 
embossed with figures, one portion representing the death 
of St. Thomas a Becket. This reliquary is beautiful in 
shape and of simple, artistic wormkanship, although it 
might be called " amateurish ' ' by a skilled modern workman. 
There are a few specimens of enameling, two of Champ- 
leve and one of Limoges. The latter is of the style for 
which Birmingham students have in recent years gained 
high awards (including two gold medals) in the National 
competition. Champleve is not now so much practiced in 
the school as formerly, partly, perhaps, because of the hard 
work entailed in chiseling at the spaces to receive the 
enamel ; but there is not a more beautiful decorative method 
of using enamel. Jewelry is represented by two small 
pieces of gold filigree and enamel. These are of the 15th 
century German workmanship and delicate and restrained 
in design. Specimens of simple jewelry useful to students 
are difficult to obtain, as most of the really fine examples are 
too precious to be sent on loan; those of an elaborate style 
are useless, at least to beginners. 
The collection includes several pieces of wood carving 
of fine quality. Especially noticeable are two pieces of 
northern workmanship of the 15th century. Those form 
part of a screen which contains two illustrations of "The 
Temptation on the Mount." A carved panel of German 
origin, also of the 15th century, represents St. John the 
Evangelist, and is remarkably good. Gesso is illustrated 
by a magnificent shield (Italian, 15th century), a rampant 
griffin painted in black upon a highly ornamented field of 
gold. 
Some excellent prints from drawings by Millais, F. 
Walker, and Sandys have been included in the loan in the 
hope that they may inspire the students to emulate at least 
the two first-named artists in seeing subjects of deep poetic 
interest. Among the embroidery are several fine pieces of 
English work, gay in color, simple in design, and quite void 
of that quality of high ingenuity which so commonly takes 
the place of feeling in modern "art" embroidery. 
HOLLYHOCK— HANNAH OVERBECK 
