The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-09-24
Mother.of-pearla and Pearl Inlayine.

the pearl oyster, which is found in the
Gulf Of California, at Panama, Cubagua,
Ccylon, Madagascar, Swan River, Manila,
and the Society Islands. The black-lippcd
shells from Manila are most highly priced.
Society Islands furnish the slippery-lipped
sort, and Panama the "bullock" shells.
The genera Xatiotus, turbo, etc.. also
| furnish some mother of-pcarl. TIE ,hnically
the mohcr-of-pearl obtained from the
| pearl oyster is known as white pearl that
| of H0Hotus or sca-ear as aurora or car
| shell; it is easily distinguished from the
| former by its plislnatic colors aud wrinkled
appearance.
The peculiar and varied tlnts exhibited
| by mother-of-pcarl is due to the structure
OF its surface, which, owing to tho great
multitude of minute grooves upon it
often many thousands to the incll-decom-
pose the light which falls upon it, and
lellecC different hucs.
The pearl shell is lanlellar in structure
and admits of being split into lanin,c but
| this method of dividing it Is seldom resort.
ca to owing to the liability of spelling the
shell.
In working up mother f-pcarl the saw
| file, and grindst onc arc the principal tools
| employed. A shell is selected with q
nearly rs possible to suit the required pur-
pose. Square or angular picc g are cut
| out with small circular or buck or fret
saw to SUIT convenience. the piece being
held and manipulated with tho hand or
| clampcd in a wise. Butto is and such cir
cuar pieces are cut with an annular or
crown saw fixed upon a lnandrel. All
such tools used in cutting pearl must be
| Kept well mOistcned with water To prevent
over heating. The pieces are usually
dressed upon grindstone, the edge and
face Of which are groovcd or ridgcd to
prevent clogging. The stone is kept wet
when In use; for this purpose weak SOAP
suds is better than water alone.
When the pieces have been properly
shaped on the stone they are dressed with
plmlce stone and walter. In some cases
the better plan IS TO have the piece of
pumicc stone shaped 50 rs TO adapt it to
the form required and held in wise while
the work, held III clamp, is revolvcd in
contact with it on the lathe. After the
application OF the stone fine powdered
pllmicc stone, free from coarse grit, IS
applied with CORK or cloth mo.stcuct.
with water. In the final polishing rotten
stone Is employed. This is moistcned
with dilute suiphuric acid U acid, Is
"at'r and applied with cork. TIE acid
is said to develop finely the straited struc-
ture of the shell. In some works 1t is
thought necessary to use emery before the
| rotten stone and to use u .impid oil in
place OF the Il i'd
Knife aud razor handles Of pearl, after
having been roughed out, arc drilled
where the rivets arc to be inserted, lgntly
| rivctcd together, shaped on the stone, aud
finished rs above described, the last finish
! ing touch oiton boing dono by friction OF
the hand of the workman.
III some shops much Of the poll hing Is
done Oh cloLh-covcrcd wheels, the moist
cloth carrying the polishing materials.
Separate wheels arc used for the different
materials. For some common work pow.
dcrcd chalk or Spanish whiting is used in
place OF rotten stone.
Pearl is etched by a process very similar
to that used in etching copper. The dc
signs or patterns are drawn upon it with
asphal um varhish. and all parts not
Intended TO bc ctcncd having boen sil1ilar-
ly protected, the piece Is submitted to the
action of nitric acid. When the parts
unprotected have pccn sufficiently eaten
away by the acid the piece is rlnscd in
cold water and the varnish washed off
Thin pieces OF mother OF pearl of q like
pattern are usually gang cut; that is, the
thin plates arc glued together, then held III
clamp and cat, drilled, and dressed as
one piece, after which they arc separated
by being thrown into hot water, which
separates the glue.
very thin pieces of mother-of-pcur arc
pNnnprtrn tn ho rlx ,pI &c
p03)ter nadche or iron, by japan vurnish.
The plate having been cleaned and dried
receives coat of the varnsh, and when
this is nearly dry the pieces OF pearl, cut
out with scissors by tho artist to repre-.
sent leaves or designs, are pressed against
and adhere to tho varnsh. The plate Is
| then put III the japanner's oven until the
| coating becomes hard. A second coating
| OF varnisl is then put on-indscriminatcly
over the pearl and all land when this has
been dried or hardened in the oven por.
| tions adherlng TO the pearl pic 2cs arc re-
moved with Il knife blade, and tho whole
surface Is rubbed smooth with pumice
| stone and water. With tho aid of Il little
gold size, gold leaf, and color, and CAM
els'hair brush the artist then develops tho
design. the beauty Of which depends of
course upon his skill. Finally tho article
receives coat OF clear spirit varnish.
Besides the white and aurora shell re-
ierrcd to above, the glistcnlng green snail
| shell is very frequently used. 1t tints are
light and dark green, yellow, and pink,
blended. The vanished surface is some
times ornamcntcd with transferred dlaw.
| ings or engrayings. When the varlish Is
nearly dry tho engraving Is spread out tat G
downward upon it and carefully pressed
| SO as to exclude zair bubbles. After tie
varmsh is thoroughly dry the paper is well
molstcncd with warm water by means of a
sponge 1t may then be rubbed Off, the
lines of the print remaining adhtring to the
varnish.
| Earthquakes.
/ Aa a clln.--.nni Iuifhnnf