Document XKbyrkqQ36RNZkm1zZrV6KrG

90 THE PORTFOLIO. and get Into cash at once, without the necessity of The improvements in the manufacture of paints much mental effort. Another class is interested in for the last half century have been a steady advance hut one phase of the art or science of which a toward perfection. First, white lead was generally journal may be an exponent, and perhaps one of used as the base of good paint, and reached the the least important phases at that, and think tt is consumer in the dry state, and was mixed with oil going out of Us province when it thus stirs up an which was purchased raw, and boiled in a small other part oi the large field. Still another class, kettle. The poisonous effects of the dust from the and happily the hugest one, can learn something dry carbon generated a disease often fatal in its from all the varied topics which may properly be results* though rarely known now, called painter's discussed in the journal of chief interest to them. colic. Then came a season during which the sale There are those in the industrial and professional of white pigments ground in oil in mass or paste world who arc fitted by nature and cultivation to form was general. About this time oxide of zinc plan and execute work, to teach and guide lesser began to appear in the market; and as there was minds to perform the work involved in their plans. considerable prejudice among painters against zinc, They stand s the foremost men in their profes it was looked upon as an adulterant for .while lead, sion. Styles, methods* effects In all arts emanate and the prejudice was founded upon this circum from them. There is another class less favored by stance; Zinc adulterated with baryta was made (o nature and circumstance, unfitted for invention, de resemble white lead when ground, and as Us true signing, leadership, who yet do or may possess .me name was not sufficiently popular to sell it, the chanical skill to do what others have planned. mixture was' hranded white lead, most of it being There is still another class of learners, of various placed upon the market in tin pails bearing fancy degrees of natural ability, constantly being rein names and labels. Ho great was the sale of this forced from the ranks of youth. To place the class of paint (luring the civil war that several knowledge of the first class within reach of the manufacturers made large fortunes. Hut such busi other two is one purpose of a technical journal. ness could not long be successful. The deception To impart information which has stood the test of was carried so far that revolution came. experiment makes a journal to the extent of such The lead corroders saw their opportunity, and information a practical one. Many of its unproved one after the other put their goods on the market suggestions may be practical. Methods largely, or ground in oil strictly purs, each package bearing a so far as deduced proof is concerned, entirely, theo guarantee of purity. While strictly pure lead was retical, may be found practical, for the theoretical rapidly supplying the place of 41 lead,'* so called, precedes the practical and gives life to it; practice oxide of zinc ground in oil alone found a market, proves theory's claim to recognition. Hence such and was used for painting steamboats and for vari a journal must be measurably and judiciously theo ous other purposes. Subsequently some of the retical. large consumers found it better adapted to some i It represents an industry* and aims to promote purposes than lead, and in some instances still that industry and elevate those identified with it. better when combined with lead. But in the It brings to the obscure workman the thought of meantime, say from 1867 to 1870, prepared paints his more privileged brother, and shows him how began to appear in the market sold by the gallon. to do better work, and how to do it more easily, by The first mixed paints offered were not of satisfac inciting the mind to assist the hand. Its duty is to tory quality, and this fact, together with the com stimulate thought, to excite inquiry and answer it, mon prejudice against new and comparatively un and help its readers to a better understanding of known articles, brought all ready-for-use paints into l their calling. disrepute. So desirable an improvement in an im portant industry in go-ahead America could not, Manufactured Paints. however, be kept bock by an imperfect beginning, Ik commercial parlance we designate prepared pigments as either Paints or Colors. Colors In clude pigments ground in oil, japan, water, etc., usually put up In small packages, most o! them being used for ooloriog other pigments in prepar ing them for the brush. The term Faints is more and the result has been that, while improvement in quality has been slow, the manufacture and sole of prepared paints, from good to inferior quality, has become an enormous industry, and its permanency established beyond question. In these, as in other manufactured articles, the best are the cheapest, general, and as frequently used applies to all pig and we incline to the belief that improvements in ments, but especially to those which are prepared paint-making will continue until the most reliable for use, or those which, after tinting or thinning, brands become more celebrated for excellence than are ready for application. white lead has been. A properly prepared paint N41548 PROGRESS OF DECORAT/VE ART. 9* should be, and we think is, equal, if not superior, to any which can be produced by hand. Some of the advantages in prepared paints are: I. Economy of time and saving of waste by mix ing large quantities by labor-saving machinery. , *. Uniform and positive proportions of materials, , producing uniform colors, duplicated by sample as wanted by the consumer. By this method of mix ing line grinding and thorough combining of mate rials are secured, the paint covers better, produces a better surface, and under atmospheric influence changes uniformly, if at all. 3. The facilities pos sessed by large manufacturers for obtaining the best adapted coloring pigments, dryers, etc., and their superior knowledge of the chemical relations of pigments to each other, and with the vehicles used, enable them to make paints which are least liable to fade, spot, etc. Master House Painter*' Association. An Eastern contemporary records Ihe organiza tion of the Master House Painters' Association of ihe United States and Canada on the 15th of Janu ary, 1885. Various portions of the country were represented, and considerable interest was said tu have been manifested in the proceedings. The officers chosen are: President--Titus Berger, of Pittsburgh, Pa. Recording Secretary--F. P. Marlin, of Atchison, Kan. Treasurer--W. A. Elliott, of Boonton, K. J. Corresponding Secretary--A. A. Kelly, of Chester Valley, Pa. Messrs. Berger, of Pennsylvania; Martin, of Kan sas; Beck, of New York, and Kelly, of Pennsyl vania, were appointed a committee to draft a con stitution, etc. It was decided to hold the next meeting at Chicago, the third Wednesday in July next (aid). The new society had not, at the time the an nouncement from which we took the above was printed, made an avowal of their object. We pre sume, however, that it will be in a general sense much like that of associations in other industries. The question of prices will be a predominating one, that of information--exchange of thought, encouraging reports of work successfully done, methods of working, principles of decorative work, secondary, perhaps, but still important. Such or ganizations are encouraging in many ways; 1. They indicate the character, standing and growth of the industry represented. 2. They afford oppor tunity for making acquaintance of persons and of ideas. 3. They open unusual possibilities for the improvement of the industry. 4. They may com bine a strength of brain and means Which will prove most potent in its influence upon its particu lar branch of labor. We trust that all these oppor tunities may be improved by the new organisation. There is one question which we will venture to bring to the notice of this new society, one which will frequently confront its members as individuals, if not collectively, and that is the relations between these master workmen and their subordinates. There is not enough discrimination made in favor of good, sober, honest workmen. The low prices at which some work is taken and the greed of some contractors apparently begets an indifference to skill and trustworthiness which in our judgment is seri ously detrimental to all concerned. We believe the appreciation of people for good work is keen enough and tangible enough to warrant the exer cise of care in the selection of workmen, and we believe that only those of proved ability, or those who upon adequate examination evince a sufficient mastery of the work they desire to undertake and the tools and materials used in its execution, should he ranked as qualified workmen, and paid full wages. A trial of civil service reform principles is being made by some employers with some measure of suc cess, and it seems probable that some general rules may be formulated for all our industries whereby choice of workmen can be made with entire justice to all concerned, and a rate of wage fixed against which there can be no reasonable cause to mur mur. We trust this question will not be overlooked by the new association. PROGRESS OF DECORATIVE ART. A r o o m appropriated to the collection of Japan ese ornamental objects has Its entire walls and woodwork embellished with silhouettes with good effect. The surbase of pine has a running border of serpentine figure, each alternate waving line holding one of the curious letters or numerals of ffic Japanese, and some conventional flower. The molding is of polished black, imitating ebony. The dado is a succession of oriental scenes in bold character, the figures most conspicuous being eighteen inches in length. This is finished with a beaded molding of black, above which the walls are covered with figures four inches square and twelve inches apart,* alternating in rows consisting 0007-SWP-000158394