Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-02-12
Vol. *. Whole No. 994. No. 7.
Mock Pearls.

| Thus also with pearls. although by
many they are preferred when they have
lost theii original whiteness. The rage
tor these has no limit. False pearls
were invented in Paris toward the close
OF Henry Tvs reign, by an ingenious
fellow named Joaquin. Thence the man.
ufacture spread into Italy, where is was
extensively practiced. though the
French specimens retained their super
iority. To begin with, were employed
the scales OF the blay, a small flat fish,
with green back and white belly,
common in numerous rivers of Europe.
The scales are carefully scraped off, and
repeatedly washed in pure water until
they glisten like silver. They are then
again washed in a sieve, inclosed in
net, and whipped into pulp, through
still retaining those rectangular particles
which, to some extent distinguishable to
the eye, constitute a high merritt genuine
pearls. The mass thus formed was at
one time known as Essence OF the
East" To it was added some gelatine
from the same fish. Glass of the most
delicate texture, and powdered white
wax, with dash of mother-of-pearl
completed the operation, and the neck
lace OF the demoiselle was ready for
wear. 1t needs only slight additional
chemistry to convert these pearls into
opals-a kind OF jelly made from parch-
ment is added. The rose-pearls OF Tur-
key are formed by pounding fresh and
young flowers in a mortar until they be-
come paste, spreading this on cloth,
and laying to partially dry i'll the sun.
When nearly dry they are pounded
again i'll rose-water, then dried again.
aud SO on until the paste is exceedingly
fine, when 1T is rounded into shape, poll
ished with rose-water, for the <e OF
lustre and scent, and thus becomes the
pretty imposture celebrated as the rose
pearl. They are of various colors-
black, for the white throats Of CiI cassia;
red, for the beauty OF a darker debth;
blue, also for fsirness, and Il splendid
amber, fit for all compilations, though
chiefly for the brunette. Mock pearls, it
should be remarked, by the way, have
been made from fruit, pertumed with
storax and musk. The commerce in
these fictitious decorations is principally
French and Austrian, though something
is known about it i'll our honorable
country. There is Japanese cement
there is rice-paste aud there are Roman
pearls, made up of silver-sand, fish
scales, spirit OF wine and white wax The
Venetian pearls are vitrcous and little
likely to deceive, yet they are sold by
thousands OF boxes throughout Europe.
Asia and the New World. The art en-
ployed is simply that OF producing white
glass in tubes. tinted, however, bv IA
process which the Italians still claim as
Il secret, though the existence of any
such mystery in our DAYS may be doubt
ed. These tubes. SO TO speak, are melt
ed again, whirlcd into gobular shape, or
sometimes manipulated in a soltencd
condition into the s,jherical form, which.
however, is occasionally produced hv
simply stirring the fragments of glass
round and round i'll Il vessel filled with
warm sand and wood ashes. Nothing
now remains beyond collecting the
pearls. blowing OIL the dust, stringin.
them on thick strings of silk, packing
them III barrels, and exporting them far
and wide throughout the world, onlv
stopping short ut the uninhabited is-
lands ChdmberS' .ioUyaaf.