Executed for the Western Sand Blast Co., Chicago, Illinois, circa 1905.

Allan Katz, Woodbridge, Connecticut

some sort of discoloration in squares of mother-of-pearl.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

According to the records of the Rock Island Railroad, a major passenger line named after Rock Island, Illinois, a veteran car builder named Andrea T. Gavell developed a technique for inlaying mother-of-pearl on the glass faces of clocks around 1880 and later produced pictures of Rock Island trains using the same methods. “Mr. Gavell's technique was adopted by other craftsmen who were experts at carving and inlaying of mother-of-pearl in the construction of the old Rock Island observation cars. The result was that [their pictures of] engines were of different types and bore different numbers, and the trains depicted were of different lengths. We have no accurate knowledge of how many of these might have been created in the early days, but shortly after the turn of the century, due to quite a demand for the mother-of-pearl inlays, the Rock Island obtained bids on a commercial basis, and the Western Sand Blast Company of Chicago [which specialized in reverse-painted signs on glass for railroads] was awarded a contract. We have a record that the contract called for 50 pictures over a period of two years, and it appears we paid $50 for each.”