MARKS OF AMERICAN POFTERS.

In the painting of flowers, in natural colors, the decorators
conniected with the Philadelphia establishment fully equaled
the French painters, but their work in landscape or figure
painting. as seen in the panels of vases, was inferior.
Messrs. Tucker and Hemphill closely imitated may of the
feris of French pieces., notably several styles of vases, thus
increasilg the resemblance between the two products, but a
numbiher of shapes originated at this factory which may always
be recognized, such as the "vase-shaped" pitcher shown in
illustration 4, with its cylindrical bd, tall arching handle
aid fluted base. This shape was designed at the Philadelphia
works, and is not known to have been produced at any other
tactory.
.1 oth the French and the American hard porcelain were
freqIently, but not alays, marked with initials or figures
scratched ii the paste. which were the private miarks of work-
men or the numbers of sizes or shapes. Those copied above
are seldom, if ever, found on the foreign ware. TIhe V
occurs  more frequently on the Tucker ware than an\ of the
itlIer letters, and is usually a trustworthy indication that the
piece which hears it was modeled or molded bv Andrew
Walker of the Tucker factory.
It will ttus he seen that in soie instances identificatio n.
by means of color of body or glaze, form, golIwork or
marks, is a matter of considerable case, while in others, where
forms are similar and the differentiation in other respects is
slight, no rules canl be given that will enable the uninitiated
to positively distinguish the American from  the French
product. in such cases the investigator will do well to apply
to an expert. or refer to the original pattern hooks of the
Tucker and Ietvphill factory, which are Ipreserved in the
Pittsyltvaiia Al useunm.
SMITil1,  FFE & 0(. PH IL DEL    1HIA.
The firm of Smith. Fife & Co. exhibited "two beautiful
porcelain pitchers" at the annual exhibition of the Franklin

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