Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-09-23
How to Tell an Antique.

How to Tell an Antique.
THE first knowledge which the neophyte
OF gem-collecting has to acquire is the
faculty OF distinguishing paste from a
stone. Probably in his novitiate he will
nave to purchase his experience and per-
maps to purchase it dearly, as there are
many modern paste limitations current of
good gems as well as a few antique pastes,
winch have, of course, an interest of their
own and are always worth buying. AS
rule, pastes which are meant to deceive
are backed with metal and a young col
lector will look with suspicion on any
gem which is presented to him. There
are, however, various ways of testing
pastes from stones Put the gem on vour
tongue and real stone will be cold while
the imitation is-well, let US say-tepid.
Of course the file will at once distinguish
between the real and the false, paste on
being filed leaving white stain on the
file while stone only makes it shine
But then no dealer would allow you to
file the face of a gem, and pastes are gen.
orally backed, so that the collector will
have some difficulty in applying this test
But the time will gradually come
that is to say, if he is ardent
in the pursuit-when he will perceive the
difference between stones and pastes at a.
glance, instinctively. He can scarcely tell
you how, but the faculty comes by prac-
tice, just like any other acquired power
Then another mode of deception against
which he must be on his guard is the hav-
ing modern antiques, real stones engraved
in the last century, foisted apon him as
Greek and Roman work. Among his first
experiences in this way he Will be pretty
sure to come upon some very highly
priced and exceedingly handsome Ponia-
towsky gems, which adorn the windows
and cabinets Of secondrate London gem
dealers. He examines them carefully, per
haps tests them with file, which, in this
instance. the astute seller kindly invites
him to do. A little knowledge is for him,
however, q dangerous thing; and, thrown
off his guard by finding that this is a real
stone and fine one withal, and very
beautifully engraved and that it is signed
in Greek with the name Of Pyrgoteles or
Scion, or some other great gem-en graver
he at once hastens to conclude the bargain,
and hurries home with his treasure to dis
cover too late that he has given Quadru-
pie price for that which is after all very
charming forgery. In fact, if the skillful
artists of the Poniatowsky gems had only
signed their own names to those eXcellent
works of art their productions would by this
time have been at a premium in the
market, instead of being contemptuously
put aside by all who profess to under
stand the subject. The collector, how
ever, in due course Of time, taught by
dearly-purchased experience and by OBJ
serving other peoples Mistakes eIiG
qaena t6cjunt 0Jio71a perjcWyH cGutuna''-
will gradually learn to distin guish antique
from modern engravings on stones. He
will find that there is a sort of mist upon
the surface of the antique gems, as if the
stone had been breathed upon, caused by
numerous microscopic scratchings, the
wear and tear Of ages, and partially dull
ing even the highly-polished cuttings of
the old engravers, which Enthusiastically
distinguishes the old from the new. In
time he will be able at a glance to tell
whether the cutting is of Etruscan Or
Greek or Roman origin. His classical
reading too will go great way in helping
him to enter into the spirit of the genuine
antique work. And every now and then
he will come upon some little bit of
Homer or Virgil or Hesiod petrifed, so to
speak, in the antique gem which will Won
derfully refresh the class ical memoirs of
his younger days.-Frazer's Magazine.