The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-11-20
MEXICAN WIRE JEWELRY.

towns, Santa Fe, New Mexico, is that of
the Mexican jewellers at their quaint and
ancient work in ornaments Of gold and
silver wire. Combs, breastpins, shawl
clasps, ear rings, bracelets, finger rings
and various other adornments OF femi-
nine adornment are made almost wholly
by hand, through cunning fashionlng
of wire into delicate devices. The gold
and silver employed are perfectly pure.
Any alloy would destroy the necessary
ductility. The metal is first melted, re-
fined and cast into flat bars or cakes.
These are next run between rollers until
reduced to about one tenth of an inch IN
thickness, and foot or so in length.
Narrow strips are then sheared off, each
of which is pulled through successively
smaller circular apertures in a steel
plate, until drawn out into round wires
of requisite thinness. Some OF these
wires are hardly thicker than sewing
thread, yet without flaw. The COM
pleted work in silver has a beautiful
frosted appearance, while in gold dead
hazy surface against which polished
points will CLEAN is highly admired.
These effects are produced by twisting
two wires tightly together as the first
toward manufacture. Formerly this
twisting was accomplished by simply
rolling them on board under the palm,
bat now it is more rapidly and accurately
done by lathe. The twisted wires are
then sent through compressing rollers,
whence they emerge perfectly flat and
extremely thin ribbon, having q crenu-
lated edge, due to the twisting. This
having been prepared, the workman lays
it aside and proceeds to fashion frame
or outline in more solid wire of the OBJ
ject he is about to copy. Whatever is
to be the future form Qet US suppose it
is to be grape leaf, this outline lies
perfectly fiat upon the table. Into the
outline he now puts solid midrib and
two or three veins, which divide the leaf
into compartments or sections, and this
done, he is ready to proceed. The next
step is to take up his circulated wire,
and wind il upon the ''filing block" into
lenticular coil. This filing block is
little piece of wood, capped with copper,
and supporting row of minute brass
teeth, 30 small and so near together that
you must look sharply to see that they
are separate. To the central one of
these teeth or pegs the workman hooks
one end Of his wire, and then proceeds
to wind it deity around the pegs, NOV
ing once away from the centre in both
directions with each turn, until he has
exhausted his wire or carried his regular
coil AZ far rs he wishes. Then he clips
the ribbon, and slips off little lens
shaped flat coil Of delicate gold or silver
ribbon, rough on the face with the cren-
ulations of the edges. This coil is very
manageable. He can pull it apart to
insert to insert the root of some addition
or leave an opening in the design, can
fiatten or fatten it, can change its shape
in almost any way, and still preserve the
frosted surface. His first move however
is to fit it into one of the vacancies be-
tween the gold ribs Of his skeleton leaf,
and solder it there with perfect fitness.
The leaf having finally been filled full,
is then artistically bent with nippers into
the desired shape of dropping or half
folded or crinkled, and is adapted to the
part it is to play in the completed piece.
Numberless patterns in imitation of
flowers, insects, feathers, and scroll
work emanate from the skillfull hands of
these natives, and jewels in profusion
are used to add lustre. Not only is it
all done by hand, but by guess; that is
IN much of the work, like the making of
filigree combs, accurate proportions and
corresponding curves are called for, and
all of thes the workmen produce without
measurement or moulding over any pat
tern or dye. The ornamentation is pro
duced wholly by bending and crowding,
not at all by engraving or inlaying, and
its slight irregularity and crudeness add
to its charm, endowing each piece with
a pleasing individuality. OF course this
faithful care consumes time, and conse-
quently the work is costly, though prices
are by no means exorbitant. Some
single pieces require several weeks of
steady labor for their production. They
are sold all over the world.
This branch of art is of Spanish origin
and was taught the Mexicans by the
conquerors, as Spain had previously re-
ceived it from the Italians. Now it has
died out of the old country, aud survives
only here. The city Of Mexico, Chihua-
hua, and Santa Fe seem to be the main
points of manufacture, and here at least
the art has been greatly advanced. Until
American taste directed their efforts
there were but three designs extant for
gold, and they were followed with little
variation. One was known as the CO.
quette. 1t consisted of an oblong flat
arrangement of solid gold and fligree,
from which depended golden fringe,
each thread OF which was twisted in close
imitation of the antecedent buckskin
fringe. This was the breast pin. The
ear rings were heavy, and fringed or
fuchsia shape. The other two styles
were simply copied after necktie bows,
with ear pendants like flowers. 1t had
degenerated into very rude work, and
the custom of sticking native uncut, un-
polished gems anywhere upon the gold
work, simply because the stones were
known to be valuable. In this tasteless
decadence it is probabla the art would
soon have wholly tiisappeared. but be-