The judges have awarded the prize to Mr. Edwin R. Clark of Lowell, Mass., and his design appears in this issue as the advertisement of the Boynton Furnace Co., on page xi.  The reasons for the award may be a guide to others engaged in similar work, and consequently we reproduce several of the other designs for comparison with Mr. Clark’s.

It must be remembered that the first consideration in this problem is the effectiveness as advertising matter of the design submitted—­its artistic merits, although important, are distinctly secondary to this quality.  The medium in which it is to be used and the clientage to which it is intended to appeal must also be constantly borne in mind.

[Illustration:  Design by Edwin R. Clark.]

Mr. Clark submitted three drawings, a second one of which is given herewith.  The first is superior in giving a more positive effect to the page and in being a more unusual treatment than the second.  Although both are drawn with skill and are admirable in technique, the type of design and ornament used in the second have come into such common use that if for no other reason than this the first would be preferable.

[Illustration:  Design by W.B.  Olmsted.]

As decorative treatment Mr. Olmsted’s design is in many respects the most masterly of the lot, and if the personal choice of the judges had been the only consideration upon which the award was to be made, this would have been placed first, for it is remarkable for careful and intelligent arrangement, subtle balancing and proportion of parts, and especially for what may be called the decorative sense by which just the right relation of black to white is preserved.  It is seldom that any but the most accomplished designers succeed in obtaining this just proportion, which gives a sparkle to the design such as is seen in the best of the Japanese stencil patterns used on printed stuffs.  The clever use of motives connected with the business advertised and the idea of presenting the Boynton apparatus in attractive form and other heaters thrown about in confusion is commendable.  The only reason for passing over this design in the award is the advertising value of the attractive appearance of some of the more ornate designs.

[Illustration:  LXXXVI.  Manoir d’Ango, Normandy.]

One other drawing, that of Mr. Brown, deserves particular notice for its intrinsic excellence.  It is especially praiseworthy for its grace of line and general arrangement.  The figure is well placed and, although faulty in drawing, is particularly effective in treatment.  It is essentially a poster design, but none the less appropriate for the present purpose on this account.  It lacks only in those qualities of draughtsmanship which come with practice and experience.

[Illustration:  Design by F. Chouteau Brown.]

The remaining drawing which we illustrate is a very interesting although not especially forcible treatment of the class of ornament adopted by Mr. Louis H. Sullivan, and in his hands having a wonderful charm, but seldom used with entire success by others.