Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-05-09
THE GROWING ACHIEVEMENT.
Triumph of Genius-A Masterpiece
in the jewelers. Art.

Genius is sort of creative faculty, which
brings forth, directs and organizes-a sort of
inspiration, which catches from that which
already exists, vision OF what may be.
Genius is the intuitioual gift that makes, as
it were, something out of nothing. 1t pro-
duces something new under the sun.
This is exactly what Colonel Andrews, OF
the Diamond Palace, San Francisco, is per-
petually doing. He is forever creating some
thing new under the sun. Not very long
since a case of his exquisite work, exhibited
at the International Exposition at Paris, at.
tracted the attention of all Europe. Crowned
heads and titled personsges combined to ex-
press their admiration OF the magnificent
specimens of the jewelers. art there on display.
A superb jewel case from among the exhibits
passed into the hands of royalty. and now
adorns the boudoir of regal aristocracy. Some
three years ago Colonel Andrews detei-
mined to eclipse all former achievements
by the production n of q chef d'eurre that
should surpass anything ever before manu-
factured. Accordingly, he employed a
skilled miner to explore the most celebrated
mines in California and Nevada, in order to
secure the finest possible specimens OF quartz.
This occupied three years, and nearly ton
of quartz has been laid under tribute, in the
final selection of the material for the mag
nifcent Jewel casket now on exhibition at the
DidInOuu dldCc' IHi5 CaohCe'SCui h1o oNch
six hundred pieces of quartz in its construc-
tion. Three men were employed two years
and five days in its manufacture. Seven
months and half were required to polish
and cut and set the quartz. There are twen.
ty.three pounds and eleven ounces Of sold
gold bullion in this masterpiece Of work.
There are seventy.seven ounces OF silver In
the solid pedestal en- which the structure
rests, this being ten inches square and four
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from the base of the structure to the top of
the dome.
This wonderful design is made to repre-
sent the dome of the Pantheon at Paris.
There are three distinct galleries, each being
a separate compartment. The lower gallery
rests upon the solid silver base, with its sur
base, plinth, torus ard fillet, all well defined
srchitecturally and with due regard to artistic
proportion. This lower gallery is supported
by twenty Corinthian columns of solid gold
quartz, with caps of solid Etruscan gold,
constitute the wall OF the gallery. The Sec
end gallery is entirely round, with solid gold
base and cornice, the latter being supported
by eight columns of exquisitely polished and
variegated quartz, with caps of Etruscan
gold. The outer wall of this gallery is also
composed of inlaid panels of marvellous de-
sign and beauty. The third gallery differs
from the lower ones, in that it displays eight
arches, supported by columns of gold, in
gold rests on these arches. The wall of this
gallery is round, covered with panels of
highly colored quartz. The roof of
the beautiful dome is, perhaps, the
triumph of achievement, as it displays, in
harmonious blending, all the different colored
quartz used in the construction of the mag.
nifcent gem. 1t is in tile.work, and the
effect is dazzling to behold. There are 120
tiles on the roof, exquisitely outlined and
graduated in respect of size. SupeFposed on
the apex of this dome is round ball of
quartz, exquisitely finished, and on this ball,
as the crowning artistic work, is gracefully
poised a figure of the Genius of Liberty,
carved from solid gold. 1t is perfect mas
terpiece of equilibrium, lightness and grace.
1t is supple and agile, the attitude and action
being perfectly rendered. 1t is a copy Of the
figure that crowns the famous column of
July, which now occupies the site of the old
Genius of Freedom was ready to leap into
the air, thus verifying the poets ideal:
"oh give me liberty
For were even Paradise my prison,
Still should long to leap the crystal walls
It is impossible to conceive of more ar
tistic, elegant and novel piece of the gold
smiths art than this latest achievement of
Colonel Andrews, which, as has been truly
said, places him where Benvenuto Cellini
stood among Venetian artists and gold-work-
ers-the foremost artist of the age in this
line of work. 1t seems as if art had reached
it's climax in this exquisite production. 1t
should remain in California as an exponent of
the vast mineral resources of the State, of
the great skill of our artisans and the con-
summate genius of its creator and designer.
1t is valued at $4,000. 1t is to be exhibited
in New York, London and Paris previous TO
reaching the International Exhibition at Am.
sterdam, where it will, no doubt, be secured
by seme scion of royalty, as was the former
which was displayed at the Paris Exposition.
This wonderful piece of workmanship will
be on exhibition at the Diamond Palace, No.
22l Montgomery street. San Francisco. for
few days, and all lovers of the beautiful and
the marvellous should not fail to see it.