French, Sulfides & Cameos 2
_In France a colored opaque or clear glass base was frequently used in the paperweights, and upon this the encrusted figure was superimposed. The enclosing glass was always the finest crystal.
The sulphides took many forms. The subjects included medallions of celebrated people, religious or allegorical medallions, and seals like that of the Legion of Honor. Three sulphides showing Napoleon I and Marie Louise in profile together, and one of them showing the Imperial couple with their son-all made by Andricu-are most valuable. All of the sulphides made by Andricu represent Napoleon with a laurel crown; while those made by Galle, without the crown, are very rare. Emil Galle, who died in 1904, had a school at Nancy, France,in 1846, where he taught the process of encrustation.
The sulphides took many forms. The subjects included medallions of celebrated people, religious or allegorical medallions, and seals like that of the Legion of Honor. Three sulphides showing Napoleon I and Marie Louise in profile together, and one of them showing the Imperial couple with their son-all made by Andricu-are most valuable. All of the sulphides made by Andricu represent Napoleon with a laurel crown; while those made by Galle, without the crown, are very rare. Emil Galle, who died in 1904, had a school at Nancy, France,in 1846, where he taught the process of encrustation.
_In making cameos, a wooden mold was first carved and then cast in iron. A ceramic composition was poured into this sliding iron mold, slightly baked, and gradually cooled. When the cameos were required for encrustation, they were reheated to a red state in a small oven made for the purpose. Properly cooled, they were carefully removed and centered on a glass base of the same temperature to prevent cracking, and the process that followed was the same as in the composition of other paperweights.
The molds were always cleaned by men who did nothing else. If the slightest imperfection appeared, the molds were cast aside; it was impossible to repair them successfully. As may be surmised, the unequal density of clay and glass resulted in a high percentage of breakage. Consequently, there are few duplications among the sulphides.
The molds were always cleaned by men who did nothing else. If the slightest imperfection appeared, the molds were cast aside; it was impossible to repair them successfully. As may be surmised, the unequal density of clay and glass resulted in a high percentage of breakage. Consequently, there are few duplications among the sulphides.
