placed her at its head. Though there are seven or eight men in the guild, she is the only woman worker. This shop devotes itself almost entirely to the making of table services, and Miss Knight does all of the designing. The silver turned out here is exceedingly beautiful, and puts one in mind of antique Sheffield in its palmiest day.

One of the earliest American workers in pottery was Mrs. Maria Longworth Storer, a pupil of Dallas White. She first worked in a very simple way, later founding a pottery called "Rookwood." It did not take her long to abandon the ordinary wares of commerce, and to spend her time largely in making fine wares after the Japanese style. Her earliest work was limited to a shell-tinted ware, pink shading to a dull white; but

soon she and her associates worked out many beautiful colors and decorations, such as the tiger eye and the cerulean blue. By 1887 the pottery had become selfsupporting, and Mrs. Storer turned over the work to Mr. Taylor, a talented craft worker. The Rookwood is a large pottery, but this same work may be carried on at home with a few simple tools.

Pottery is made in several ways, such as modeling, turning on the wheel, and casting in a mould. Beginners usually model their pottery because it gives them skill in using the material and increases their knowledge of form. The simplest way is to take a lump of clay and model the work. Upon this they build the sides by coiling the clay and pressing the coils together with the fingers, remembering to keep a uniform shape and thickness. Before they have made many pieces, they discover that if the clay is not well worked in modeling it breaks in the firing. The decorations may be very simple or complex. A very simple and artistic effect is obtained by indentations made with wooden tools.

The difficulty of the task is increased when it comes to working on the potter's wheel. This method. was known to the Egyptians many thousands of years ago. It is a difficult process and is learned only after much experience. The only advantage of this method over the other is in the perfect shape that is gained, but the worker has to learn how to manipulate the machine. before trying to make pottery on the wheel.

In moulding pottery a model is made, and a plaster of Paris cast is made from it. The clay is mixed with water and poured in the mould; the plaster of Paris. absorbs the water and the slip hardens and so can be turned out. Its shape is then perfected on the wheel and the rough places filled in. The glaze can be put in before the firing, and this is called "under-glaze"; if put on after, it is called

"over-glaze" and must be fired a second time.

Mrs. Stewart Frackleton of Chicago was a pioneer in this art. She began to display her pottery some twenty years ago. She felt it was unnecessary to do elaborate work to make it successful. From the beginning her pottery was characterized by good designing. Occasionally she made her work more effective by moulding a bunch of fruit on the bowl or pitcher.

Mrs. Alsop Robinson of Syracuse, N. Y., is another woman whose work is recognized everywhere. Its popularity has grown until it is one of the favorite wares in the market. She studied some time at Sèvres, where she learned to produce some wonderful glazes. She has a peculiar fondness for dull colors and uses the Matt finish. Mrs. Robinson does most of the designing and the making of the ware, but her husband assists in the factory and manages the business end.

The Newcomb is one of the most in

NEWCOMB LAMP, WITH SHADE OF WOVEN BEADS. Vase and shade were designed and executed by Mary G. Sheerer. This lamp was accepted by the International Art Jury, and exhibited in the Palace of Art at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904.

COPPER LAMP.

A strong and unique design by Miss Bertha Bennett.

teresting potteries in this country. This pottery is part of the girls' college at Newcomb, La., and was started in a very simple way. The girls start by taking courses in design, and are then admitted to the pottery without tuition. profits from their work belong to them.

The

There is a great step from the factory pottery to the simple workroom devised in the home, and this is what Mrs. Helen Hammill has accomplished, besides looking after her home and caring for her children. She began her work with twenty-five dollars' worth of tools. It was while making pottery that she experimented in terra-cotta, and, after working some time, succeeded in modeling small terra-cotta figures. There are many other women whose work is winning commendation, and the market for their work is sufficient proof that the making of pottery affords good opportunities to those possessing originality and patience sufficient to change shapeless clay into perfect forms by means of their hands or the potter's wheel.

Leather work is a general term used for decorating leather and binding books. Leather work is one of the oldest of the arts and crafts; but it is only during the

MODELING A MINIATURE BUST.

last few years that this craft has grown popular in this country. Whether used for the cover of a book or for house furnishing, the method is the same.

It was Cobden Sanderson who inspired many English and American women to devote themselves to the task. The binding of a book is quite an elaborate process, and many tools are needed for this work. The term "forwarding" is used for all the steps except the lettering and decorating. The design is traced and etched on the leather of the cover. There are many ways of decorating books; the most usual is by tooling. Finishing tools are stamps of metal that have a device cut on the face. Blend tooling is where the impression is made with hot tools, and gold tooling is where the impression of the tools is left on the leather in gold.

The foremost binder in this country is Miss Ellen Starr of Chicago. Her shop is a large studio in Hull House, well equipped with tools, examples of her work, and splendid Morris plates. Miss Starr is a pupil of the great English binder, Cobden Sanderson, and though her work is characterized by great originality, some of it shows the influence her teacher's work has exerted. Her style of decoration is marked by balance, symmetry, and definiteness, which are essentials for good bookbinding. A beautifully bound book is the

"Shepherdess Calendar" of Spencer. The cover is a soft green with a border of roses. Another interesting work is a dark green morocco with a decoration of poppies done in white.

The women in the East are quite as deeply interested in bookbinding as are those in the West. A large room in the Art Students' League in New York is fitted up for this purpose. Many women, after studying there, finish in England under Douglas Cockerell.

Decorated leather is used for draperies, table covers, folios, and cases, as well as for book covers. This work may be carved, stained, burned, or embossed. The most

handsome piece is a table scarf, six feet in diameter. The peacock is used as a motive in decoration. It is surrounded by clusters of eyes and feathers, the blue of the eyes blending with the old rose of the feathers.

There are many other women earning a comfortable living and receiving recognition as craft workers; but the work already mentioned goes to show that this country is already sufficiently cultured to appreciate excellent handicraft, and that many women are now teaching the gospel of William Morris by their handiwork.

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