HSEAD STANDARDS MANUAL
GENERAL INFORMATION
STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
The Standards of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration reflect the high quality of craftsmanship and scholarship which the members of the Society have developed over the years and which will continue to be developed through the study and analysis of ornamentation original to the artifacts of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. One of the aims of the Society is to further the appreciation of such artifacts and to elevate the standards for their reproduction.
The purpose of this manual is to establish specific standards of craftsmanship for the various techniques found in Early American Decoration. This manual is meant to be a guide for applicants, members, judges for the Society’s Craftsmanship Awards Programs, and the Teacher Certification Committee. The Society presents “A”, “B”, Special, and Reproduction Awards for those entries which show excellence in craftsmanship and meet the Society’s Standards.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARDS
1. The design of the article submitted must be authentic and appropriate for the piece in size, period, and type of decoration and must demonstrate techniques that meet the requirements of the category.
2. The design must include sufficient work to demonstrate the craftsman’s ability. Minimum effort does not reflect the attitude of a Master Craftsman toward his work. Consult with the Standards Committee Chairman if in doubt.
3. The design and the work must meet all General Requirements and all Category Requirements. If the design includes other techniques, in addition to those of the category, each technique will be judged according to the requirements of that category. For example, if a stenciled tray includes a metal leaf motif, the metal leaf will be judged according to the Metal Leaf Requirements and the stenciling according to the Stenciling On Tin requirements. In this particular instance, metal leaf motifs must be skillfully outlined with black paint if such outline appears on the original design. This applies to stenciled trays only.
4. Each category covered in this manual (with the exceptions of Pontypool, Clock Dials, and Theorems) requires a protective coat of varnish over the entire article and a hand – rubbed finish.
5. All work must be done by the person submitting the article. This includes all base coats as well as finish coats. No sprayed base coats or finish coats will be accepted.
6. Any article submitted with a signature or initials will not be judged.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING ARTICLES FOR JUDGING
1. Obtain Entry Cards from the Exhibition Chairman.
2. Complete an Entry Card for each article submitted. Entry Cards must include a detailed description of the article and its design (for checking identification), membership number, and value. Omit name of teacher or collection.
3. Affix Entry Card to the back of each article with masking tape.
4. Place Entry Fee under the card.
5. All exhibitors must notify the Chairman of the Exhibition Committee of their entries and must follow the Shipping Instructions included in the meeting notice.
6. Pack carefully. Do not use plastic packing materials. No damaged articles will be accepted. Enclose return postage and mailing labels for those articles to be returned by mail. Mark the outside of each package with your name, address, membership number, and the category and number of each article in the package.
7. Be sure that each article meets all the General Requirements for Awards and all the Category Requirements. The Standards Committee will decide whether or not to accept those articles which do not meet the exact requirements as detailed in this Manual.
8. If two (2) or more articles are submitted as a unit, e.g. sugar and creamer, they will be considered as one unit and only one award will be given.
9. The member agrees to exhibit her/his piece when submitting an article to be judged.
10. Members are encouraged to submit as many pieces as desired for judging at any one time.
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