MOt

OFFICIAL DESCRIPTIVE ANI) ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE.

by a machine converted from a flat into a cylindricalform. This is called “raising” the metal. The pens areagain placed in the “ motile,” packed in small iron boxes■with lids, and heated to a white heat. They are thenwithdrawn, and suddenly thrown into a large vessel ofoil, where they acquire a brittleness that makes themalmost crumble at the touch. The next process is“ cleaning,” then follows “ tempering,” which restoresthe pens to the required elasticity, and is accomplishedby placing them in a large tin cylinder, open at one end,and turned over a tire, in the same manner that cotfee isroasted. The heat changes the colour of the pens, first,grey, then straw colour, next to a brown or bronze, andlastly to a blue. Still there is a roughness to be removedfrom the surface, which requires the pens to be placed inlarge tin cans, with a small quantity of sawdust. Thesecans are horizontally placed in a frame, and made torevolve by steam, the pens rubbing against each other, bywhich means they are cleaned. After the “ scouring”(which consists in placing the hardened pens in an ironcylinder which is filled with pounded crucible or otherabrasive substance—the whole revolves by power and thefriction produces a bright clean surface on the pen) process,they are taken to the “ grinding-room,” where each in-dividual pen is ground at the back in two ways, at rightangles to each other, or rather over each other, the qualityof the pen very much depending upon this operation, llythe aid of a pair of nippers, the girl takes up the pen,holds it for a moment or so on a revolving “ bob,” andthe grinding is over. Now follow the pen to the “ slitting-room,” where it is placed in a press, where the process isinstantly effected. The pens are next examined, andsorted according to their qualities; after which they arevarnished with a solution of gum, when they are con-sidered ready for sale.

The Exhibitor was the first to establish a manufactureof that useful little instrument upon anything like a scaleof magnitude, and, consequently, to bring it into almostgeneral use. The contents of the case, which form thesubject of the illustration, consist of pens of almost everypossible form, from the magnum boiium to the smallest,which require a microscope to examine its workmanship.The large pen weighs five pounds, and measures oneyard in length; the Lilliputians are about four grains inweight, and are simply illustrative of the ingenious powerof the machinery employed in their manufacture. Thelarge pen contains sufficient metal to make 1,01)12,.'197 ofits diminutive likeness, yet both varieties are cut in alltheir parts with the nicest precision for use. Not the leastremarkable feature in this contribution is the colouringimparted to the metal, which is fine and rich, equallingsome of the metal-foiling of France.—P. G31.—Plate 375.

[Some idea as to the employment of the population ofour great manufacturing cities may be gathered from thefact, that in the production of the single article of steelpens, at the Graham Street Works, upwards of 1,000 pairsof hands are employed : the majority of these are females;but the manufacture of the various tools by which thepens are made, and upon which depends the perfection ofthe finished article, is assigned to skilled and ingeniousworkmen, well initiated and practised alike in the simplestand most complex combinations of mechanical arrange-ment. To this alone is attributable the great perfectionand elasticity of the steel pen now produced, as opposedto the hard and unyielding implements sold and dignifiedby the name some twenty or thirty years ago. The sys-tematic arrangement and increase of the manufacturehave had still further the effect of increasing the comfortsof those engaged therein, in a physical and moral pointof view. The well-ventilated, lofty, and spacious shopsof the exhibitor are alike favourable to, and suggestive of,personal respect and cleanliness on the part of the work-people : the result is as might be anticipated, and is shownin the neatness of the personal attire which distinguishesthe majority of those employed in the works. Young

females earn from 4s. fid. to 7s. per week ; others moreskilled and apt, and engaged in the more important pro-cesses, earn from 10s. to 14s. Workmen employed astool and machine makers realize handsome wages. InMay 1851 the number of pens produced in the worksamounted to upwards of 180 millions annually, and theweight of the sheet steel consumed in their manufactureto not less than 2(18,800 lbs., or 120 tons. It is remark-able that, with all the delicacy of manufacture whichis so characteristic of French workmen, hitherto in theproduction of steel pens as a manufacture the French asa nation have been unsuccessful; the majority of thosesold in that country, though bearing external evidence oftheir home manufacture, are really not so, but are madein Rinningham. France is one of the markets whichtakes the greatest supply, next follows America . Manu-facturers distinguish the orders from the two countriesby the mode in which they are made up: those sent tothe former country being neatly assorted in packages orfancy paper boxes; to the latter, the expense is avoidedby making them up into bags.—W. C. A.]

373 R. W. Winfield, Cambriilge Street IVoris,Jlinninghtim.

(Council Medal for brass-foundry work and metallicbedsteads with taper-drawn pillars.)

Chandelier in the cinque-cento style, elaborately chased,and suspended from a bracket supported by two figures;the bracket surmounted by a Cupid and figure of Inno-cence. Purchased by Iler Majesty, and fitted up atOsborne House. —Plate 383.

[The above is a good illustration of the excellence ofornament and the mode of treatment adopted by the artistsof the period: masques and foliage, delicately relieved,cover the surface of the body; wreaths of flowers adornand are pendant from the prominent parts; Cupidonscluster round the stalk: others support the nozzles forthe candles; while Cupid, bow in hand, aims his dartsagainst Innocence, who clasps her arms across her breast,to avert, if possible, the consequences.—W. C. A.]

Dorothea lily bracket, with parian flowers and statuetteintroduced, fitted for gas. Purchased by Her Majesty,and presented to the Prince of Prussia.—Plate 381.

Tripod in the cinque-cento style: chimney-piece lights,with parian, introduced.—Plate 38U.

[In the tripod, advantage has been taken of the pecu-liarities of the style to introduce, upon its base, medallionportraits of Chaucer , llacon, and Purcell, as indicatingthe Poetry, Philosophy, and Music of England. On threeshields are introduced the heraldic insignia of England,Ireland, and Scotland . The angles of the base are sur-mounted with three infantile figures, representing Art,Science, and Industry; from this rises a stem, on theapex of which is an elaborately-coated and cut glass dish,to contain flowers; under this, the arms for the support oflights project, from which are pendant chains, Ac. Thewhole surface is covered with minute ornamental scroll-work, in delicate relief, and in keeping.—W. C. A.]

Or-molu chandelier, with basket-work, foliage, bird s >and figures introduced, pendant wreaths, Ac.—Plate 38 J -

Elizabethan chandelier, in bronze.—Plate 384.

Child’s cot, with figure introduced to support thedrapery.—Plate 379.

[This is entirely cast, the original having been previ-ously modelled in wax. The cast from it, after beingchased and repaired, is moulded in sand, and a copy ofis produced. The several parts, after having been fittetogether carefully, are chased, dressed up, and finallycleansed by “ dipping,” burnished as already describe