Christmas 1902 Prize Competition
As announced last month, several valuable prizes will be offered in this competition. In order to make it as comprehensive as possible the prizes are offered for the best designs, drawings, or photographs of decorative work. Original designers may send in sketches. Those who can draw may send copies; and craftsmen, photographs of the work they have done. Line drawings in ink are the most acceptable form, but coloured drawings, wash pictures, and photographs are eligible. It will be seen that though the competition involves artistic skill, it is not necessarily confined to one branch of art workers. Even working drawings may be sent in, however rough, and will be considered on the merits of the design they bear.
Description of prizes
The First Prize.— The first prize is a Simplex pokerwork machine. This pattern is the best now made for pokerwork. The benzoline required to keep the platinum point red hot is utilised also for heating the point at first, thereby dispensing with the spirit lamp usually necessary. The flame is blue, and perfectly smokeless. A vulcanite disc is provided, and by means of it a flame in the lamp may be produced. Turned to another position, the disc directs the vapour to the point which it keeps hot. By another turn, all escape from the bottle is shut off, and the machine may be packed away with perfect safety. The Simplex has a well-finished nickel bottle, and is fitted with all necessary appliances in a handsome wooden case.
The Second Prize.— The second prize is the Original No. 3 pokerwork machine, fitted with platinum point, rubber bellows, and a nickel spirit lamp. The box is made of polished cherry-wood, and is perfectly finished.
The Third Prize.— The Third Prize is a canvas roll with a leather strap. It contains a complete outfit of tools for chip and deep carving. The tools are of the best English make, straw-coloured, machine-ground, and shouldered with polished hardwood handles. The rolls also contain the following useful sundries; A carving knife, hammer, punch, cramp, compass, and one Washita slip. These rolls may be folded, and are the ideal method of carrying carving tools about.
The Fourth and Fifth Prize.— The Fourth and Fifth Prizes consist of wood boxes covered with black calico, and containing a complete set of chip-carving tools; Three edge tools, carving knife, mallet, punch, compass, turkey slip, cramp, and shilling portfolio of chip-carving designs.
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The quality of these prizes may be judged from the fact that they are all by the well-known firm of Moeller and Condrup.
Pokerwork and woodcarving are two of the most charming forms of artwork, and a unique opportunity here presents itself for those who desire to start them.
A series of lessons in woodcarving began in the October issue of The House. Designs for poker work are given from time to time, with full instructions.