The Osceola times., 1876-08-05
OUR CENTENNIAL LETTER.
rhinesc Carving American Book Trade
Association.

f,7A-fFH CHINESE CARVING.
tkADELPHIA, July 2G.-China exhibits
a-eeyoda or Chinese tower in miniature, foul
and half feet high. It has ten stories
I'd storyseapped by projecting roof. Pa
godas are <ka China rs observatories for
cities. Ch,ek glies are of four classes
In city of the fourth class there are five
pagodas third class ten; second class iif
teen first class twenty The towers are gem
orally from one hundred and fifty to three
hundred feet high. The pagoda stanis ~
the center Of an ivory base, representing d
plot of ground enclosed by fence of ivory
posts, supporting carved ivory pannels
seemingly lowered lace, so delicate is the
workmanship. In the area is n portal; in
the plot above the tower are four trees laden
with fruit, with representative citizens OF
the celestial land, enjoying themselves with
in their grateful shade. The tower is hex
agonal and slightly pyramidal. At each
edge is round support, running from top
| to bottom These six supports brace the
main portion Of the structure, which consists
Of beautiful lace carving. Each story is en-
circed above the Gaping OF the next lower
story by railing, similar TO the fence, and
from the four corners of the ten cappings
are suspended as many bells. The exquisite
| piece of ivory carving is worth S600.00 gold
The China ivory balls are wonderful one five
| inches in diameter has fourteen smaller ones
enclosed, each three-fourths Of an inch in
diameter. Within a hellow sphere twenty.
| three similar ones, each moving free of the
1 other. The operation OF making the won
| derful balls is simple. The solid sphere of
ivory is taken, and the fourteen or other
number of holes bored, until they have
reached points, say half incn from the cen
ter. A small sharp carving instrument, the
cutter Of which must be on sharp angle
| with the handle, is introduced into each
hole, and by careful cutting, a small ball
| may be freed in the center Of the mass. IL
win hardly be spherical. This process is re-
peated as often as il is represented by the
number Of spheres 10 be freed. The outside
sphere is then manipulated with that ar
| tistic touch, so peculiar TO the Chinese, and
forests, figures, groupings, appear in has re-
| Lief. To the young men Of America, who
| dislike the more utile, but less ornamental
| occupation of cutting wood, and desire to
test their skill on ivory as a stimulant, will
state the ball spoken Of in this connection,
| required the constant employment Of one
| celestial one and n half years, and can he
bought for two hundred dollars in gold. The
| Chinese have no superiors in the field of
| carving in ivory, and no visitor to the exhi-
bition should fail to see their exhibits.
THE AMERICAN BooK.TRADE ASSOCIATION.
This institution, whose importance in the
field Of education, deserves a full and com
prehensive notice, occupy 4 structure in a
full section of the main exhibition building.
| and is the only two story pavilion in the
building. The plan ll7x34 feet, a base, hnv-
ing three platforms, each supported by six
teen light iron pillars, and connected by two
bridge platforms. On the main platforms
are erected pavilions, divided by rail stand
ards into four spaces each, and on the bridge
platforms are wall standards. The second
story is twelve feet above the floor; the rail
ings are in open iron work the decorations
ON the graceful pillars are in claret sage, and
| brown colors with guilt. The building is q
regular little beauty, and cost 5000. The
| gentlemen TO whom the book trade of the
country stands indebted for the convenience
| the building furnishes, and the complete.
ness of each detail of its organization, are
Messrs. Blackiston, Remsen, and N. r. Mon
achesi.
RARE WORKS.
Among the many rare books gathered by
| the association COR exhibition, is four centu-
ry Bible, printed at Venice in l476 "evi-
| dently with prophetic Intention" Douay
| (Catholic) bible Of 1910, a curious little copy,
supposed to have belonged ts John Milton I;
| a fac-simile of the first English scripture,
Tyndales, 1925; a King James OF 1917 the
Mathews Bible of John Rogers, 1919, and
several American bibles. The association
has also prepared a neat little pamphlet,
| giving sample texts in one hundred and six
| ty.four languages, with information as to the
| society's work Copy of Elliotts Indian
bible, 1868; the first bible printed in Amer
lea. which only Mr.. Trumbull can read the
Atkin bible, the first printed here in Eng
lish, by Robt. Aitkin, 1881; Collins quarto
| bible, Trenton, 1891, IA handsome bible,
printed in beautiful style, $3.50; a curious
old Ductch bible OF 1889. fhe oldest estab-
lishment in the country, originating with
Christopher Sower, Sr., at Germantown. Pa,
/ in 1873, who established the first type foun-
| dry in America, and who printed n quarto
| German bible, after Luthers thirty.fourth
Halle edition, which he irished, printing
| 1900 copies of il in l743. This was the first
bible printed in this country in European
language. 1t was preceded eighty years by
| Eliots Indian bible, but it was not till forty
years afterwards, 1881, that the first English
| bible was printed in America. The firm ex-
sibit two of the first Sunday school tickets
printed in America. A New York house
exhibits in this department two eighteen
karat pen and pencil eases, each with dia-
mond in the head, value 800. Another one
| firm displays an eagle made Of three thous.
and gold pens. One firm exhibits apparent
ly what is small roll of thin paper, but is a
half inch in length. Another firm ream Ct
paper, 6xls, weighing 2000 pounds, with
trimmed edges, called the Monarch.
| The French is considered the finest collec-
ton of books in the building. II is worth
$4,000, and nearly half has been already sold
TO John Hopkins university. Among the
rare works are Balbus de Janua, Catholicon
| Of the fifteenth century, in asuperb binding
| of that era which has required sixth months
of uninterrupted labor. The french also
display u copy Of Montesque's-"L lie Temple
de Guide in quarto, the binding of which
cost three thousand francs. There are fifty
exhibitors from France in this department.
Germany has one hundred and forty-five
exhibitors in this department, who show
zoos hooks and 235 periodicals. A very fine
bible is exhibited, Iiexaglot, in Hebrew
or syriac, Greek, Latin, English, German
and French. Spain displays playing cards.
Sandwich Islands. photographs.
Mexico has the best literary exhibit from
any Spanish American country. Norway,
mostly statuary. Peru in her bookcase ex-
hihits cigars exclusively; let us hope that
this is simply to impress the vulgar with the
idea "no putting needed" This box is
locked hence the inference. Japan, an
| fngllSh ana Japan ulcuonafY, WIN hNe nun
dred'i Switzerland has but small
exhibit, and they are done up in red bind
ing. This is strange for land of thinkers,
writers aud scholars. Turkey, a line q med
ical works One firm from Jersey City show
u coil of lead for pencils 900 feet in length.
The above is but tritine sketch OF this i'm
portant association, but is valuable NJ evi'
dence of the accomplishment Of the book
men of the United States. ] am indebted
for these facts to Prof. Dorsey Gardner, one
of the cearest-headed writer and authors OF