New Bedford, Massachusetts; its history, industries, institutions and attractions . rating Works, now managed by Levi Cooley, who formerlyfired kilns for Mr. Smith. In the spring of 1871, Messrs. Alfred E. and Harry A. Smithcame to this city under contract with William L. Libbey and estab-lished a decorating department at the Mount Washington GlassWorks, starting with eight or ten workmen. Two years previously,decorated ring cone shades were introduced and they were now ingood demand. The decorating department here was a success fromthe outset. At the expiration of three years the Messrs. Smit
New Bedford, Massachusetts; its history, industries, institutions and attractions . rating Works, now managed by Levi Cooley, who formerlyfired kilns for Mr. Smith. In the spring of 1871, Messrs. Alfred E. and Harry A. Smithcame to this city under contract with William L. Libbey and estab-lished a decorating department at the Mount Washington GlassWorks, starting with eight or ten workmen. Two years previously,decorated ring cone shades were introduced and they were now ingood demand. The decorating department here was a success fromthe outset. At the expiration of three years the Messrs. Smith hiredthe department, bought the stock, and have since conducted the reputation of the firm of Smith Brothers is now world-wide andthe brothers rank first in their particular line. They have graduatedsome of the best workmen in the country and in addition to theyoung men under their instruction, employ some of the best artistsfrom abroad. About four years ago the firm removed to the building Nos. 28and 30 William street, which it now occupies. The building is three. INDUSTRIAL AND FINANCIAL. 229 Stories high, fifty by eighty feet in area, and is completely equippedin every respect. There are four kilns, and about thirty workmenare employed. The firm has kept pace with the rapid advance in the educationof the taste of the people. At first only ordinary work was required,but now there is a demand for a line of artistic work which was neverdreamed of a few years ago. After the rage for ring cone shadeshad subsided, the firm turned its attention to the decoration of vases,and produced thousands. These vases were nearly all sent to thesilver plating works for mounting, a great many being decoratedfor Reed & Barton and the Meriden Britannia Company. What iseverywhere known as the Smith vase was first made here, andno vase ever had so great a run of popularity. Finally the patternwas copied. Horace Partridge placed it in the dollar stores and thecountr}- is now flooded w
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidbedfordmassa, bookyear1889
