The Passing of Old Methods in a Silver Shop

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dognose
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The Passing of Old Methods in a Silver Shop

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THE PASSING OF OLD METHODS IN A SILVER SHOP

By J. G. NIEDERER


About thirty years ago the workmen in the silver line in New York City were more or less interested in the report that Samuel Kirk & Son, of Baltimore, Md., were about to change from the old-time methods of working by hand to the newer system of using machinery for forming and in finishing their work. The report was hailed as good news, for business in New York was dull at this time, and as Samuel Kirk & Son did a large business it was believed that this change would make openings for a number of men to handle and operate the new machinery to be installed. With this idea for an incentive I made a trip to Baltimore to see Mr. Kirk. After a satisfactory interview in which we exchanged references, etc., he informed me that he was not quite ready to make the change but would surely call on me when he was. A year from this time Mr. Kirk notified me that he was ready for me to take charge of the lathe room; I was preceded at the works by George McParland, of New York, who was in charge of the spoon department. Mr. McParland was one of the cleverest of spoonmakers and he was able to make anything in the tableware line with hammer, tongs and file, as well as to handle modern machinery.

Upon my arrival I found a good many old New Yorkers who had disappeared from the Gotham field years ago. Here were Harry Conway, the chaser, who afterwards became manager of the Baltimore Academy of Music; Clark, the chaser, known as the Yankee Skipper, who lived on a yacht built by himself. He would come to the shop for his work, carry it on board, where he would chase it, and then carry it back. Gillette, the chaser; La Salla, a well-known modeller and chaser; McCaffery, a well-known and most clever engraver, who was called "Scotchy" and who had left New York because it was "too eternally Gothamy" to use his words.

Among the old New York silversmiths were found George Kenny, Charles Kipp, and John Sehlstadt, who, by the way, simply stayed in Baltimore on account of historic associations, he having been made an example of in the well-known "blood tub" riots. Being a foreigner, the "Plug Uglies" captured him and imprisoned him in a cellar all night; in the morning of election day they dipped him in a tub of blood which they procured from a slaughter house, and chased him down the street to frighten the foreign element who might imagine they had a right to vote.

I found that the system of working they followed was far removed from what I had expected. The hollow vase was partly raised by hammer and a great part of it was "strapped" or soldered to form a cylinder first and then drawn into shape by hammering and a piece soldered on for the bottom—as shown in sketch Figs. 1 and 2. The handle would be soldered on to cover seam in body, and as a solder was used that held its white color well, the seam was not as noticeable as might be expected, particularly in view of the chasing which covered as a rule the whole body of the article.

Image

As may be supposed, there were a great many punctures made in the walls of the various pieces by the chasers and in the earlier years a tin solder had been used, this easy running solder was used so that no fire coat would be caused in the firing. This practice, however, caused so much complaint that it was with great joy that the use of silver amalgam was welcomed. The use of this mercury plating was introduced by a silversmith named Jacoby, who afterwards became a member of the firm of Jacoby & Jenkins in Baltimore.

A very peculiar method was also in use in making forks, the stock for the tines would be hammered out to the size of the four tines, and then these would be separated by slitting up between each one with a chisel then bending back into proper position. See Figs. 3 and 4.

Image

The removal of the fire coat in the hollow ware was done by means of sharp steel scrapers before chasing.

There was no overseer or foreman in this establishment in those days. When a man needed new work he had to see Mr. Kirk, who was in complete charge, and frequently a workman would be kept waiting an hour or more before he was supplied. There was absolutely no "red tape" in the system and yet Mr. Kirk was singularly successful and prosperous. It is a fact, too, that some of the men worked honestly and conscientiously even though no one watched them. Now I believe the concern has all of the modern detail of systematic management, but I often wonder if they are as prosperous as when Henry Kirk "ran the shop all alone" twenty-five years ago.

In the product made in these earlier years by this concern there was a great deal of work of really meritorious character and a collection of some off these pieces would no doubt be of considerable interest in any exhibition. There would be an aggregation of hammered and chased work. In these pieces we find various subjects used for decoration brought out by repousse work—Oriental, hunting, Indian and love scenes, stags and hounds in deadly struggle depicted in graphic manner and occasionally copies of the Italian Renaissance. Each scene designed and worked out in the repousse by the chaser himself. Frequently there would be copies of the antique, but rarely was there any plain polished work. I recall an order for plain Colonial ware that was made by another house, Mr. Kirk claiming that he did not care for this class of work, but the real truth was that the shop was not fitted up to make it.

The reader must not suppose, however, from what I have written that Henry Kirk, then proprietor, took this step gladly, for he had long fought against this innovation, which seemed to him to be almost a sacrilege, most stubbornly, for it had been and was his desire still to express in his work, those merits which denote an expression from the chaser and silversmith. He had always allowed the greatest latitude possible for these artists to express their conceptions; and he now feared that the individuality as spoken by the hammerer's art would no longer exist in his product. True, his work at times had been scoffed at by Eastern manufacturers. Yet the demand for his goods had kept growing to extraordinary proportions and their peculiar merit of craftsmanship seemed to appeal to the public. The great cry that his prices were too high also grew apace and at last in despair he purchased the required machinery and started to work as did his "Yankee competitors."

When spinning of shapes, both round and oval, was begun, the men realized the quantity that now could be turned out as compared with the old methods, and there naturally was a feeling of uncertainty as to what the future might bring; but these misgivings were soon dispelled, for business increased and new hands were constantly added to the force.


Source: The Metal Industry - April 1909

Trev.
JayT
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Re: The Passing of Old Methods in a Silver Shop

Post by JayT »

Wonderful post. Thanks Trev!
dognose
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Re: The Passing of Old Methods in a Silver Shop

Post by dognose »

An image of John G. Niederer can be found here:

http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... ER#p114144

Trev.
dognose
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Re: The Passing of Old Methods in a Silver Shop

Post by dognose »

A short biography of John G. Niederer:

Mr. John G. Niederer, the subiect of this sketch, was born in New York City and educated in private and public schools in that city. He was apprenticed to Tiffany & Company when 17 years of age to learn the art of turning and spinning. He remained with the above concern until 21 years old and assisted in making the following historical articles: Silver hollowware presented to the Alabama Commission. Solid silver for the Paris Exposition, which brought to this country the decoration of The Legion of Honor for several officials of the Company. The Neil Cullen Bryant Cup, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

After leaving Tiffany's he took charge of the machine room for Samuel Kirk & Company, of Baltimore, Md, who were just starting to manufacture silverware by machinery. He soon became expert in the chasing and chiselling of silverware and taught a class in repoussé and brass hammering for several years. After engaging in business for himself for a number of years. he relinquished it to become general superintendent of the Carlstadt, N. J., works of S. Klaber & Company. He formed, while with the company, a building and loan association, which was remarkably successful and is still in a flourishing condition. Mr. Niederer received from the World‘s Fair, held in Chicago 1893, a diploma of honorable mention from the Board of Lady Managers for the design and execution of S. Klaber & Company’s exhibit. After 12 years' faithful service with this company, he again engaged in a private enterprise, which not being in the metal line with which he was most familiar, proved a failure.

After several years of varied experience we find Mr. Niederer located in Philadelphia in charge of the Pennsylvania Bronze Company. In later years Mr. Niederer has several times been honored with public office in his home town, East Rutherford, N. J. He was also one of the organizers of the East Rutherford Building and Loan Association. While Mr. Niederer has held important and naturally remunerative positions, his continual experiments for better methods have proved costly, and he has at various times, when out of executive positions, been compelled to take his place at the bench or lathe beside his former apprentices, cheerfully and resigned, always feeling that he was still learning and helping in the good work of progress in America’s industrial march.


Source: The Metal Industry - April 1909

Trev.
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