RERAMIC STUDIO 
117 
and shapes to fit ^-our spaces. A camel's hair brush (see 111.) 
comes for the purpose of lifting the gold from the cushion to the 
leather. You pass this brush several times tlirough your hair 
in order to fill it with electricity, and then, by la3dng it across 
your piece of gold, can readily lift it, as with a magnet, to the 
space on your leather alreadj^ sized. The size being tacky, the 
gold immediately sticks to it. When yoiu- space is completely 
covered with gold, leave it to dry for some time before dusting 
off the edges of loose gold. When you are sure that the size 
under the gold is perfectly dry, brush off the loose gold with a 
soft camel's hair brush very genth' so as not to bruise the gold, 
and finally cover the surface of the metal with a transparent 
vaniish of some kind to protect it. These are roughly the 
general principles of gilding. After mastering these outlines, 
further details will very naturally suggest themselves to you — 
such as burnishing, coloring over the metal, as in Cordovan 
leathers, tooling over metal, " gold-tooling " with hot tools, etc., 
etc. The subject once opened to you it is very advisable to 
work the details out A^ourself. 
Table cover. i?okl aud green deeoration. by the .Misses Riitley. 
The same ])riuciple holds in the matter of color. Remem- 
ber that certain pigments and certain dyes have withstood the 
wear of centuries, and try individually to think out some way 
of successfully applying these known quantities to your work. 
I do not know anj^ two leather workers who produce the same 
color effects, doubtless because it is a branch of the wox'k \ery 
seldom taught, each one being obliged to think it out afresh. 
If you once learn imitatively to use given means to produce given 
results, you will be verj' much more apt to follow that teaching 
unthinldnglj^, than to develop individual methods. 
Which brings us once more, in conclusion, to the thought 
of individuality. In order to be successful with any kind of 
hand work we must make it individual — sincere — conscientious. 
Honest machine-made work is far better than careless, 
mechanical hand work. Let us insist upon doing our tooling 
as well as it can possibly be done — gilding, coloring, finishing so 
well that we ourselves are convinced we cannot do better! 
We shall never reach that point — it is quite safe I Aside from 
the artistic and economic \iew of the matter, from a purely 
connnercial point of view it is undoubtedly the safest policy. 
ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES 
^- 11- — In making over the walnut wardrobe into a bookcase on the lines 
of the one shown in the article in the July numlicr, the old Icet may be used 
very .satisfactorily, fastening them on with lartte dowels alter the frame i.s 
built. If there are only two, two more should be turned, as there should be 
one \nider each front corner. The back feet may be simply turned, round and 
tapering sUghtly. 
Projecting pests would not look well, nor one.s that were turned. A 
square, built-up corner, like that shown in the chest with one drawer in the 
article on construction, would be best in this case. It should not be more than 
2i inches. Three inches is too liea\y looking for such narrow doors. 
There should be a strip the same width at the top and bottom of the ends 
(enclosing a flat panel set in about 3-l() of an inch) and at the bottom of the 
front. 
The closets should be built separately and joined by a strip 1 3-8 inches 
wide at the bottom of the front and back. The front strips may be set back 
as nnich as 2 inches if the case is long. The bottom shelf is fastened on top of 
these strips which makes the total width 2^ inche-s like the re.st of the franiing. 
Another brace is put across the top at the back and the top over all, projecting 
1 inch all around. The edges should be slightly rounded. A narrow, simple 
moulding, | of an inch wide, would add much to the finish. It .should follow 
the hnc of the shelves where they are set in, and the curtain should be hung 
directly under it. I do not think that a wide shelf at the top wth china on it, 
and the curtain below that, would look well. It does not seem appropriate 
and the proportion would not be so good. The doors of the closets might be 
glazed with small sc|uare or diamond shaped panels, and china and bric-a-brac 
kept there. If there is not enough wood in the wardrobe for shelves, which 
should be at least |- of an inch thick, they may be made of white wood, stained 
to match, and a facing U inches wide, of walnut, put on with dowels and glue. 
If the doors are glazed their frames should be 2^- inches at sides and top, 
and 3;', at the bottoms. If panelled, 2^ at sides, 5 at top and 7 at bottom 
The panels are the only place where carving would look well. The suggestion 
for car\ing in >our sketch does not make a logical division of the doors. 
Wooden hinges are clumsy and would not b(? at all appropriate. Brass 
ones, unpolished, Avould look A-ery well, but brown bronze is much handsomer 
on walnut and no more expensiA'c. 
The case should be 4 feet high and not- less than .5 feet 6 inches long for 
good proportion, 6 feet is better. 
It may be so constructed that the top may be taken off and center part 
out, and so be much easier to move. 
L. S. C— Dealers in materials for pyrography usually keep suitable 
stains'and varnish. ., Devoe's are always reliable, ^^'ater color can be used very 
effectively on leather. Mix enough to go o\-er your entire piece before 
beginning to work, and try it on another piece of leather, so as to be careful 
you have the right .shade. 
We hope to have an article on Basketry in the October number gi\-ing 
practical instruction in weaving Raffia and Rattan. 
Mary White's first book on Basketry is \er\ good for beginners and can 
be bought at the Guild of .4rts and ('rafts, lt)9 E. 23d street. New York. 
Raffia and Rattan can be liought at some of the seed establishraeuts in 
Xew York and at L. 0. Burnett, 2SS Fulton street, Brooklyn. 
PYROGRAPHY 
TREATMENT OF DESIGN FOR TABOURET— (Page 1)8) 
Katherin Livermorc 
AFTER burning the outline (ill in the main background with 
a spider web effect, let the radiating fines start from the 
center of the top; fill in between them with sfightly curved lines 
(to represent the web) — these must be placed very close to- 
gether to make a solid mass — the effect is \ery pretty. 
The little border space between the stems and the outer 
border may be worked out in the flat shading and the outer 
border should be stippled very dark and heavj-. When this is 
done, shade the cones and branches delicately. Treat the 
legs iij a similar manner. 
