Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-22
SHELLS.
THE VARIOUS ORNAMENTAL. AND PRACTICAL UsEs
TO WHICH TREY ARE PUT-BUTT0NS, TOILET ART
ICLES, JEwELRY-ARTIFICIAI FLOWERS, ETC.

| THE VARIOUS ORNAMENTAL AND PRACTICAL Uses
TO WHICH TREY ARE PUT-BUTroNs. TOILET ART
| ICLEs, JEwELRY-ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS, ETC.
Early voyagers to Southern and Eastern seas
| brought back with them specimens of shells I'M
known on our shores, and articles of utility and
| ornament were made of them, which excited
| much interest. The South Sea Islander found
| In the shells which strewed the beach materials
| for making his fishhoOks, spear-heads, drinking
vessels, knives, and articles of personal adorn-
| ment, and it was surprising to find how well he
| had turned them to account. In every museum
| is now to be found a more or less complete col
lection Of articles of the kind referred to, and
| all bear testimony to the exercise of much
| skill and patience. 1t was the necessity of
| the Inhabitants of the distant isles of the sea
| that pointed out to more favored peoples
how to convert shells to useful purposes
| but it was not until comparatively recent time
| that the lesson was taken advantage of. Shells
| from foreign parts, whether polished or in their
natural state, have long been used as ornaments
or treasured as curiosities In most households;
but it was not until the Birmingham button
| makers and Sheffield cutters began to use them
| in their trades that the traffic in them assumed
| any dimensions. Mother-of-pearl was found to
be admi"' bly, suited for making buttons, knife
| handle nd buckles, and also for decorating
| articles ~ the tnlaying process and now the
| trade in that material has developed into consd-
cradle importance. The mother-of-pearl shells
| are obtained chiefly from Australia, Manila,
| Bombay, Egypt South America, and Tahiti.
| Those from the two t1rst-named places are the
| most esteemed Many of them are as large as des-
sert plates, remarkably free from flaws and of ex-
quisite beauty. They are about half an inch in
| thickness and weigh on the average from is to 20
| ounces each. ton of picked samples is worth
| be esteemed Of much value as large portion
| OF each shell was dark-colored. For years the
| dark portion was cast aside as waste; but the
Unsuitable demand for novelty in buttons in
| duced some of the Birmingham makers to
| utilize the dark parts OF the Shell and under
| the name Of :" smoked pearl" it became popular,
and continues to be 60 till this day. Buttons of
| mother-of-pearl are made Of all sizes from two
| inches in diameter to three-sixteenths of an
inch hn hnir r1C1I fnr
overall coats, and the latter for ladies' gloves
| ard ornamental purposes. In making buttons,
the Shell is cut into disks or OZengeS of various
sizes, so as to utilize the largest amount OF EACH
| The cutting is done by means OF annular saws
and usually the disks are so thick as to admit Of
being split up into two or three pieces, each of
which furnishes material for a button. The
pieces are turned and bored separately. The
| surfaces of buttons, studs ETC., are sometimes
beautifully carved OF etched.
In the manufacture of papier-mache goods,
! thin pieces of mother-of-pearl are introduced
with fine effect and the same material is now
| extensively used in ornamenting card-cases
| purses, jewel-caSketS and an infinite variety
! Of other articles. The best effects in this APP
| plication OF mother-of-pearl are obtained by
| using the Shell Of the various species of Hull
otis, or ear-shell. Their variegated colors and
| wrink!ed structure give them when polished an
| exceedingly rich appearance. The TU5o Oyen,'is,
| or green snail, is also employed with excellent
| results.
At Jerusalem there is a considerable trade
| in carving and engraving mother-ofpearl
| These are known as "pilgrim Shells" and the
| subjects illustrated upon them have, as rule,
relation to Incidents in the life of Christ. The
| Chinese carve quaint devices in the same ma
teriaL. In various parts of the East, the larger
| mother-of-pearl shells are used in the construc-
| ton OF houses. Mounted in a framing of wood,
| they make at once strong and elegant panels,
! shutters, &C. The cathedral and other sacred
! editiceS at Panama are lined with Shells and the
soft light they diffuse is said to have most
| pleasing effect.
Several species of cowries are turned to &C
count for purposes or personal adOrnmentin the
shape OF necklaces, bracelets, belts, etc. In the
| Friendly Islands yellow cowry is the badge OF
| chieftainship. The harness of elephants in some
parts OF India is enriched with rows Of small and
| highly polished coWr1eS. One variety is used in
| West Africa and some other parts as money; but
| the medium is clumsy one, as may be guessed
when it is stated that it takes 1,500 cOWrieS to
equal the value of one English Shilling. The
tiger cowry," one of the largest and most beau
tul of this family, is to be seen converted to use
In the form OF salt-cellars, ring dishes, snuff
cameo style with notices, texts of the Lords
| Prayer. This shell Is a favorite cabinet orna-
| ment, being as rule beautifully colored and
having high polish.
In different parts of the world, trtimpets
| fashioned from shells are in use by herdsmen
for calling their cattle. The laborers on West
work by an instrument this kind, and in some
| parts OF Wales callshells have long been en-
| ployed. The lamps used in Indian temples are
| frequently made of shells. The DyakS of Bor-
! neo expend much labor upon carving from the
huge shell OF the 7itdacna gtgaS or - Dutchman'S
| cockle,' armletS OF great beauty. In texture
these ornaments resemble ivory, but retain their
| original pure white color untarniShed by time.
| Amongst other uses to which this, the largest
| shell known, Is put, may be mentioned its en-
| pioyment as basin for garden fountains, as
| dish for holy water in Roman Catholic churches,
! and as vase for flowers. more ready way OF
forming shell bracelets than that referred to
| above Is practiSed by the natives Of Dacca.
| They select the strong and heavy chank-shell
! (TMtinettd pU'nna), and by saving it across at
particular points get out rings OF Shell that re-
quire only little polishing TO fit them for use.
This Shell is also employed as a burnisher for
| naJtve-Inade calico and paper. The process is a
laboriOus one, but the results are highly salts
! factory.
The natives of the Bahamas are famous for
| their limitations OF flowers in shells, and some
| splendid specimens OF their work are to be seen
| at Bethnal Green Museum. The baskets of flow
| eTS head ornaments, &C., are marvellous exam
PIES OF Initiative art in refractory medium.
fectly copied and the delicacy of the whole COM
| position is charming.
| Everybody is familiar with shell canoes. The
| art OF cameo cutting is of high antiquity, and
was brought to great. perfectionsby the Greeks.
| Until modern times, however, the only materials
used by the artists were different kinds of pre-
ctOus stones but chiefly the variegated onyx
| About the year 1905 the art Of making shell
canoes was introduced into Rome, having been
conveyed from Sicily, where it is believed to
| way to Paris where it has been carried on
| to greater or less extent ever since. Now
the nneSG Smell canoes are produced at Rome
| and Genoa, those made in France being de-
signed for a cheaper market. There are four
| var1ties of shells used for canoes, name
ly. the Bulls Mouth, (Cassts rnja), the
under layer of which is red, resembling the Sar-
dOnyX; the Black Helmet (ClSsiS AaddgdScdre1.-
stsl, the ground OF which is dark onyx; the
Horned Helmet (CassiS cOrnutuHt), which has a
| yellow ground and the queens conch (StiOna-
| bus 0fgdS), the ground of which is of a pinkish
hue. For cameo-cutting it is necessary that
the shells should have three layers or strata OF
d1Terent-colored material-the lower to form
the ground, the middle for the figure, and the
upper to mark the hair, wreath or other promi-
nent part. Having selected and cut out por-
ton OF shell suitable for his purpose, the artist
fixes 1t with cement on piece OF wood Of con-
venient size and shape for holding in one hand
He then sketches with pencil an outline of the
design, All the substance Of the shell outside
Of this is removed by scraping or filing till the
ground layer is reached; then by the careful
use OF series OF delicate tools the work is COM
pleted. Many OF the French canoes are sent to
Birmingham to be mounted At present shell
canoes are not in much demand in this country,
but purchasers for them are found In the colo
MES and the United States.-[CaSselrs.
How INDIANS GET THEIR CODA Ns,rs re-
porter noticed several squaws panning out gold
dust in small pools OF water formed by dam
rS,fra .x11rl