Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-24


After the visitor to the main Exhibi-
ton building has looked in vain ia the
American departments for anything very
strikinc in the of artistic work let him
60 to the Aus;rian-H hungarian section and
look at the beautiful display # opsis
from the government miuss 10 Hungary
the only mines in the world, by the
way, where really fine opals are found.
The collection of these singular jewels
in the Hungarian section is unique and
one Of the most notable exhibits IL the
building. Several cases are filed with
specimens o: thess precions stones, no
two OF which are alike. in all conditions,
from the ston" in the rough 20 two e1qul-
site cameo Iiksnesses of the Emperor
and Impress OF Austria. The latter
specimens are really tsiuInphs OF art
work, AZ it was formerly deemed lmpos-
sihls to engrave successfully upon az soft
a stone AZ the opal. The likeness Of the
Empsro is cut upon fine opal, sci IN a
bracelet and surrounded with emeralds.
rulies and briliian's. representing the
| national colors OF Hungary. The En-
press face is engraved upon similar
| Jewell. set in ,uckes. In both heads
the lines are ss clearly cut as in the
| finest canoes. They were accomplished
| after the greatest care aud patience Oy
one o: the best artists in Austria. who
occupied over two yeare in his task. 1
can well believe what | was told by the
| officials that these two engraved opals
ore the finest specimens OF their kind IN
] the world. The largest opal known is
| contained in another case. 1t weighs
6O2 carats and is TIE i,oh-i-roor OF epa!s.
| but like the kOh-i-noor. there are small
or gems that have MS much fire. There
| is also q gorgeous collection Of rough
opa!s. uneGunlied in any Museum, IN
which the curious lEay trace the forms
ton, of these wonderful products OF ma
ture from their beginning. Up th.ou "a
| tnsir growth Ill crystal forrr uatIi rhe
time whensiec begins. pe.lod Of tine
/ covering nyriaGS ct years. There are
many other gems in this collection worth
calling attention 10; out oAe must sss
This exhibit to appreciate 1t. 1t is BE-
coming known as Que CT the most inter
estiLg in the department.
WRESCE rtrr orALs CONF.
The mines from which these jawe!s
| come are IN The C..rpath!an douniains.
+, IL shs most picturesque part OF un-
gary, region row 1850 feet above
/ water level. but whose formation show
| it to have beeL thrown up from far be-
1 low the sea. The opal mines are from
siY to eight miles in extent, and about
| 1900 feet deep at their greatest depth.
They are owned by the government and
have been worked for 500 years. Their
greatest yield has been within the last
thirty years or since they nave been, Dn-
der the direction Of tine family OF Ii
b.nka. Ludwig Ritter Goldschnidt Won
Libanka being at present il charge OF
them. ..
The opal is water prot!ac:. bat in
| what manner and by what subtitle all
/, ohemy its beautiful colors are developed
is mystery that is ons of nature 5
+, secrets III that scientists can tell US
is that the water in which the cpa!s
form runs through rocks holding gold,
silver, nickel, sulphur. :ro.. aa'imony,
| einnabar and other minerals. The get
/ ting out of the opals is performed by 400
! men. laborins alternately day and nIRht
under the superintendent OF Dir. Ii
banka. Like many other luxurious and
beautiful trinksts enjoyed by the rich.
the wearer little knows the pat:sn: "a
| TOR. the perils. the time and the refined
skill by the miner. the Iapidsry and the
cpgraver necessary to the preparation OF
| every sisRls beautiful! stone before it is
! ready to be set BY the jeweler. Some
curious things might be written about
| tbs prejudice often entertained against
| wearing opsls by psopls who ought to
| know better, bat who believe n the su-
perstiticn tina, they bring i'll luck on the
| wearer. This singular notion is said to
have originated in Spain some twenty
years ago, and to have eliminated in
France under the last Napoleon. 1t is a
compliment to tho general intelligence
of Americans to know that j: is not so
often heard of in this country. This
superstition, however, must be dying
out, ~ the opal is said to be the favorite
Jewel @! the ladies' of the English court,
Queen Victoria herself rsre!y wearing
Other jewels in public.