Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-05-04
JEWELRY.
The Prevailing SUPERINTENDENT the
xtctors i'm the Competition with

The Prevailing styles---Amerfcans the
Europe.
From the New York Commercial Advertiser, April TO-
Some of our leading jewelry manu-
facturers consume half million of dol
lars in pure United States mint bars.
These bars are usually charming little
yellow bricks, such as one might east
ly squeeze into a vest pocket Crowded
the owner was looking in an opposite
direction), all duly stamped on the
edge, for example: "ozs. 25.41 -
1899, }" meaning thousandths, which is
the maximum fineness; gu. s. As
say Officer, New York" spread eagle
above the Offerings; 1924. rs value. :"
These bars are thrown into q crucible
with an alloy of silver al copper in
various proportions. None maniac
ture better than Is carats, and few bet
ter than Is; 15may be considered about
the average. Even Is is often objected
to as too soft for chains and other ar
ticles where there is friction, and con-
sequent need of durability.
Our manufacturers now feel strong in
workshops of Europe. A few years
ago rivalry from that source was pow
erful, and importations continued
heavy But through the facilities now
at our command in the use of improv-
ed machinery, and a complete system
of skilled labor, Americans are enabled
to manufacture ON much larger scale,
and In the widest possible range of de-
sign. Neither the English or French
suit our fastldious taste. The former
are too massive in style, the latter toe
tawdry. In Europe manufacturers
generally confine themselves to one or
two specialties, employing but few
men. In the United States the leading
establishments make goods in an end
less variety of style, and employ large
force. At this present moment one of
these concerns has at work 80 girls on
the single item of pure gold tassel
chains, made by the yard.
We hear it remarked that American
jewelers. now have such complete mas
terry of their trade, as against Europe,
that could they be permitted to import
duty free the tools and materials used
in making goods, they would ask from
the government no protection. Al
though the fact is not generally known,
We are already exporting to England
large qualities of gold pencils, and il
the home demand was less urgent ouI
manufacturers would no doubt turn
their attention to foreign markets.
Even now, we are exporting largely to
Cuba.
Cameo goods and black onyx, plain OF
setwith diamonds, pearls, &C., are now
uppermost among leaders of fashion. y
The former are very saleable, next to
diamonds, and probably most popular.
Both cuttings and designs present
charming novelties. The style of
mounting is either in colored gold OF
rich in diamonds and pearls, ingenuity
being taxed to the utmost in catering
to the critical taste. The demand now
is for very wide bracelets, owing to the
large flowing sleeves in vogue, exposing
the arms. The cuff band, for example,
is often made in precise imitation of
starched linen, buttons, &C., complete
width full two inches.
Another peculiarly is that every ar
ticle made must have monogram,
either engraved or raised, and occa-
sionally enameled. Black onyx is com.
ing rapidly into fashion. When orna.
mented with diamonds, the effect is
singularly striking. To illustrate, one
of our firms has just received an order
for several hundred black onyx drops,
to be pendant from solitaire diamonds,
for the ear.
In another class of goods we were
shown superb set breach and ear.
rings, consisting of an onyx shell, a
butterfly resting in the centre. The
gorgeous colors of the outspread wings
surpass even nature itself, each delicate
filament radiant with tiny diamonds
rubies and emeralds. Value, $3.50. Al
enameled diamond locket, almost GOV
cred with diamonds, is marked 5000 ii
gold (all prices wholesale.) Stone
sleeve-buttons are sold as high as $13(
pair; gentlemen's lockets and seals
SIS to 300; sets of onyx incrusteC
with gold and set with diamonds, cos
from $25 to $50.
We now propose to tell the ladies ,
few secrets, or rather to speak of Ger
tain features of the trade to them es
pecially interesting, but not always un
derstood. The question is how good
are colored. In the first place, yer,
evidently, colors depend on the pro
portions and kinds of alloy. "Re,
gold" deprives its name from the allo,
of copper "Etruscan" or "Romai
gold, for some time past very popular
is color artifcially made in this wise
An article Is or IL carats fine is suh
jected to treatment with acids, to brinl
out the rich yellow SO much admired
The chemical effect is to remove tn,
alloy, upon which the acid instantl
seizes, leaving the surface of pure gold
just now the fashion is tending to larg
earrings, with variegated colors-greel
and red gold. The uninitiated may b
startled to know that an alloy Is part
gold and six parts pure silver produce
dark green.