7ß 
EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. 
have the merit of beauty, but of cleauliness, as all smoke, 
soot or dust can be easily wiped off the glazed faces. 
Majolica tiles are ornamented with the design in relief, pro- 
duced generally by the insertion of an open-work metallic 
plate when moulded, giving them an embossed surface, which 
is variously colored by enamels, and is highly glazed. This 
kiud of tile is extremely rieh and brilliant in appearance, and 
is suited to mural deeoration, such as the walls and dados of 
dining, smoking-rooms, libraries, offices, stairways, entranco 
halls, for inlaying cabiuet work, and for mantels and fire- 
places. For this latter purpose, thefe were some fine 
examples in the exhibition of dog-grates and fire-place 
fixtures. They are particularly applicable to church-wall 
deeoration, grate-cheeks and for flower-boxes. So also the 
enamelled ornamental tile may be used for the same pur- 
poses, but more especially for the walls of dairies, bathing 
and retiring rooms, and for baths. The ornamentation is 
added either by hand, or is transferred from lithographic 
prints, but is all upon the plain surface, not extendiug into 
the substance of the tile, as in the encaustic varieties, or 
raised above the general level, as in the embossed varieties. 
The elaborately painted tiles and slabs belong to this dass, as 
also those which are enamelled in various opaque colored 
enamels. 
The use of tiles for flower-boxes for Windows has become 
general, and has raised a demand for such as are peculiarly 
adapted to the purpose. They are usually eight inches 
square, half an inch thick, and are inserted side by side in a 
simple wooden or zinc frame-work, grooved so as to receive 
and hold the edges of the tiles. The majolica and painted tiles 
are generally preferred. 
An important application of tiles is for inscriptions of all 
kinds, street names, signs, numbers, especially where dust 
aecumulates, and frequent brushing or dusting is necessary. 
They are largely used in the Underground railway in London, 
for the names of the stations. Messrs. Minton, Hollins & Co. 
manufacture every kind and all sizes of these tiles for forming 
inscriptions, dates and texts, and direct attention especially 
to their lettor-tiles, manufactured expressly for street names, 
and assert that such tiles have been fixed in several towns for