Vol. VII, No. 9 
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 
January, 1906 
E WISH all a prosperous New 
Year, including ourselves. In pre- 
senting this "Fruit number" we 
trust it will prove an "appet- 
iser" for the following feast of 
the New Year, which also re- 
minds us to remind you that 
our "Fruit Book" is about ready 
and we hope it will be as accept- 
able to our decorators as has 
been our "Rose Book." 
* 
Do not forget, if there is any special subject you 
would like to have treated in the "Class Room," to write 
us about it. The next subject will be "Lustres." 
* 
Do not forget our March competition for a decora- 
ive color study of a flower arranged in a panel with its 
application in black and white to some ceramic form. 
The competition closes January 15 th, and the prizes are 
$20 , $15, $10, and $5. See back cover for particulars. 
LEAGUE NOTES 
AVERY gratifying response was made to problem one. 
More outline drawings for a punch bowl than we 
dared hope for have been received, and best of all these 
forms are strictly original. League members who have 
sent these first problems for criticism, have taken one 
step forward. Our desire has been to obtain for this 
important work a critic who is an artist, and who having 
taken these initial steps, can understand our weaknesses 
and our efforts to overcome them, our emotions and the 
ordeal by fire which we, ourselves, must pass through 
before these imperishable conceptions can ' ' add to the 
knowledge and quicken the happiness of mankind. ' ' 
Such an one we have secured in S. Linderoth of the Al- 
hambra Ceramic Works, Chicago. 
The purpose of the League is to establish a National 
School of Mineral Painting. There is no greater field 
for improved design than in pottery and overglaze decora- 
tion. We have planted one seed, and have now the root 
of a school. The full power and right place will be accord- 
ed us. The self complacency which has been our stumb- 
ling block has given place to one primal touch of true 
art. 
Our next problem is now before us, a convention- 
al fruit design for Willetts Belleek stein No. 599. As 
holiday work takes precedence of everything else, we 
will ask for these problems on or before January 17th, 
instead of December 17th. The first problems, done 
on thin paper, rolled, or folded in an envelope, costing 
only two cents by mail, contained as much merit and 
were critcised as carefully as those done on fine cardboard, 
which cost fifty cents by mail. The excellence of 
technique can be on the finished drawings, after criticism. 
Only give the thought now, symmetry enough to give 
a clear impression to the critic, but we wish the privilege 
of correcting lines with pencil, as the technical terms, 
used by artists are often misunderstood. Please send 
problems to Belle B. Vesey, 6228 Wabash Ave., Chicago. 
One gold, one silver, and seven bronze medals, were 
awarded to members of the League who exhibited at 
the Lewis and Clark Exhibition at Portland, Oregon. 
Belle B. Vesey, President. 
THE CLASS ROOM 
Subject for February, "Lustres." Contributions must 
be received by the fifth of the preceding month. Prizes as 
before. 
000 
GOLD WORK— (Continued) 
Second Prize — Mrs. G. B. Strait, Cazenovia, N. Y. 
THE materials needed for gold work are few, but should be 
of the best . A 2 ^ steel palette knife which must be kept 
free from rust or dampness, turpentine and a cup to hold 
it when at work, burnishing sand, two agate burnishers, 
one sharply pointed, the other large, flat on one side and 
curved on the other, tapering to a blunt point, a large 
square shader for the laying of broad surfaces, red sable 
liners for fine work of various kinds, a Bright 's red sable for 
spaces of medium size, and a palette on which to mix the 
gold, will be all that will be really necessary. For the latter 
a covered tile is excellent, though a 6"x 6" white glazed tile 
will do, as the surface is smooth and hard and prevents 
waste. A piece of ground glass of the same size may be 
used if the others are not readily procurable. Whatever is 
selected for this purpose should be reserved exclusively for 
the gold work and kept away from dust. Both knife and 
brushes are to be used for no other purposes than the gold 
work, as repeated washings of these would cause unnecessary 
waste. After brushes have become clogged with the gold 
by continued usage, they may be cleaned and the hairs made 
supple as when new by dipping them in a wide mouthed 
bottle containing a little alcohol kept exclusively for the 
purpose. When a sufficient amount has collected at the 
bottom, put with it the gold washed from the glasses on 
which the gold comes, and pass the whole through fine silk 
bolting cloth. When the gold has settled the alcohol may 
be poured off and the gold dried by artificial heat. Do this 
quickly to avoid dust. Add equal parts of Dresden Thick 
Oil and Venice Turpentine sufficient to make it the consist- 
ency of gold in its usual form. As this gold will be a little 
dark it is better to use it for first coats only. 
There are two general classes of gold, one the liquid 
bright, which is a sort of lustre, the other of a true gold 
finish, the familiar matt gold of commerce. The former is a 
preparation made from gold in a much diluted state, which 
thinly applied fires with either a pinkish or greenish iri- 
descence, but if used thickly comes out a brilliant metallic 
lustre that needs no burnishing, commonly called Bright 
Gold. This gold rubs off if underfired and cannot be sub- 
jected to hard usage. Matt gold, which may be procured 
at any art store, may also be prepared at home by dis- 
solving either ribbon or coin gold in Aqua Regia, precip- 
itating it from the solution in the form of a powder by 
means of mercury or copperas, and preparing it for use by 
