The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-01-16
Cashmere shawIs.

Two great sales Of fabrics under this name have
lately been made, and under hourishes OF rumpes
that would have been complimentary to Alexander
the Great when he broke into Cashmere itself with
his barbarian Greeks in pursuit of the India trade
One lot IL Is said came out OF British vessel aban-
doned al sea, and picked up and brought into New
York, and were sold on Uncle Sans account for
duties. But the knowing say that 1his will do
for the marines this lot belonging to the owner Of
the second, shFewd dealer in ''iancy dry goods"
by wholesale and retail. The accounts of sales
are published in the newspapers, and show prices,
doubtless for the best, for all were real, at $500,
$500, SS75. The whole number sold were less than
600, and the whole proceeds were about S35, 900;
and as about 300 little scarfs selling for IS,
| Sc, SO, the shawls must have commanded ren1H-
nerating prices! =.
delusion uttered and believed, than in the eagerly
| sought profoundly admired Cashmere Shawl. Only
| a few are made, and made with the needle exclu-
siyey The material is very scarce, being accord
| ing to some, tuft of DoOt growing between the
horns of the Cashmere goat, and according 70 9TH
ers the l1oOl OF the kid before it is born ripped
from its DAM which is slaughtered for the purpose.
Then none exported from Cashmere TIL worn
out by the natives; and the neede- work OF one
shawl requires the labor OF four men during two
wears Such are some Of the tales told OF the reas
| Cashmerss. Hence they cost, among Europeans,
thousands OF dollars. Some years ago an opera
was in vogue, called The Bayadere, or the Maid
| Of Cashmere" Upon this the witty MITCHELL of
| the New York Olympic, founded a significant farce
entirled You buy it dear, for It's made OF Cash
| mere"
Now let us look at a few facts. Cashmere, ac-
cordng 10 the jograiies, has about the extent OF
Massachusetts and vet contains l6 coo looms for
shawls. Then the Thiset sheep, which furnish
the wool from the whole fleece, and have been nat
uralizsd in France, are ''penty as blackberries''
along the whole southern slope OF the Himaieh and
Hipdoo ridges. The shawls ought to be plentiful
/ at this rate and SO throughout India, Persia,
!. Western Asia and Russia Needle work Is " dirt
cheap" in all parts Of India. 1t is there called
Gdcker. tpork And Notwithstanding all the talk
} about needle work in Cashmere shawls, all. the
figured tuork in all brought to this country is done
with the loom, as in France. Variegated weaving
is an old story in India. Then the British, who
: now possess India, have extended shawl weaving
far south Of Cashmere, and will supply any orders
4 at Calcutta and Bombay. Some say that all tbs
!, real Cashmeres ara white, and can be drawn
through fiuger-ring. All are white that are not
s dyed and all two yards wide and much tcorked
d would stick in the ring of an ox-yoke. They are
initiated in France, OF real Thbet wool, exclusively
d in the loom and we defy anybody to show sllIel
e of needle-woTk in any shawl in either lot lately
sold in New York, excepting In the attaching o.
e the borders. We also DEFY any purchasers 70 dis
is tinguish between French and an lndlan shawl o.
The same pattern, or to say whether the Indian
,e comes from Cashmere Delhi, Benares or kattan
Or poor. Shawls sent as presents TO European princes
are usually white, with PLAIN border IN palm leaf
| and hence the ladies infer that all the real Cash
= meyas are white But this is merely Hindo0 taste
40 the white being regarded by them as the most dig
:, nifisd. like white gowns and black coats anon
ID MS As soms of these real Cashnleres will proba
bly find their way here, and be offered al higl
prices as great rarties, we offer these facts to tn
N patrons and patronesses of humbug. About killinl
Ia Inc mothers to get the kids 10 get the wool, W
a. would merely say that all these shawls woyei
d from the fine wool of long staple, eombed hk
!, lporsted wool in Europe and that the Cool Of Kid
n and lambs recently born, and consequently betoF
h birth, is short, coarse, and incapable oil beln
~ combsd.-P Philddelphia Ledger.