Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-06-20
SCULPTURE IN BONE.

SoW the Resident of cutter is WAGE q O"ehe'
PsIsce-The Manner in Which the Deli
.care CARVING Of Umbrella Handles and Other
Articles are Made by Skilled WOrkmen from
Bone and Ivory
From the Philadelphia Press.I
About the most unlikely object IN the
world out of which to bring beauty OF
shape and purity of appearance is lone
an ugly putrid bone, discarded 10y
butcher and purveyor, and possibly
flung into the street to await removal by
a foraging dog or uncertain. street clean
er, Yet this same bone, like the boy
who is to be president, may have a fu-
ture before It and dwell N marble
halls. The dainty, jeweled fingers of
some bright maiden may clasp 1t IN the
form Of parasol or umbrella handle
the valued gift of friend, treasured and
admired. Or, more remarkable still, 1t
may hold the soft bristles with which
the beauty cleans her pearly teeth.
Yet, after all, the process of transfor-
nation that fits former resident Of the
gutter or refuse-hea to be welcome In a
palace is very simple. All the curious
ly.carved handles which are SO fashion
able. and the quainter the more sought
after, are shaped upon series of rapid
ly-revolving wheels, ranging from an
eighth to three inches liz diameter. and
which are a cross between a file and a
saw upon their cutting surface. Ivory
and bone are carved III precisely the
same manner, the only difference ID the
handling OF the two being that bone has
to be boiled long while to free it from
animal matter before it goes to the cary-
er, whilst ivory IS clean and pure from
the start.
When it i: desired to produce any
given object III bone or lvOry--an UNI
brella handle with coUched tiger upon
Il. tor instance carver takes a piece
Of material of suitable size, and presses
i against one OF the wheels described
above. At the point of contact it cuts
with amazing rapidity. Soon the shape
less block begins to assume the rough
outlines OF the object intended. The
lathe Is then stopped, which requires
but an instant, and another, probably a
smaller Wheel Is substituted. In this
way a dozen wheels may be used before
the final finish Is given with delicate
disk, little larger than q pins head; but
when the work leaves the deft fingers of
the skiilful worker a perfect miniature
Of the royal native of the jungle is seen.
The only remaining thing to be done is
polishing, which is accomplished by
means of canvas belts with pumice upon
them, and finally by canton flannel belts
or wheels.
A. firm of this city have workmen who
will actually take a photograph of a
person and from it produce ife-like
statue. which can be attached to any
suitable article as a handle. This, of
course, wouid enable a gentleman to
combine his likeness and.an umbrella in
one gift.
As will be inferred from information
here given, carving In this country is
almost entirely done by machinery.
The Chinese do more laborious carving
than any other nation. but tune with
them seems to be of no account Hence
the great amount of intricate and
trick work which astonished people
at the Centennial Exhibition. A China.
man will spend months and even years
patiently cutting. atom by atom, OBJ
iects within objects, until the final re-
suit is astounding. But the secret is
largely patience Many people suppose
that billiard balls are turned by means
of some exquisiteiy adjusted machinery,
IN order to secure their spherical Der
lection. The exquisite machine is the
eve and hand of the artisan. The writer
saw a gray haired workman turn several
billiard balls, and the only tool he used
was all ordinary turner's chisel. His
eye was his gauge.
It Is curious fact that ivory varies
In texture with locality. Ihe most of it
IT, a FrTy4 Eot no 81
coast is softer than that from the west.
Hence it is used for biliard-balls, or
whenever an object required TO sustain
a blow. Though .west-co 4st ivory dces
Just as well for handles OF all kinds, pa
per-cutters, pen-racks, etc, yet 1t would
seon chip to pieces If made into billiard
balls.
One other fact about ivory Not much
more than onc-haif of the tusk is seen
protrudiDg from the elephant. II really
extends to the top of his head, growing
thinner and membr2DeOUs at the extreme
upper end. Tusks range II weight from
two or three pounds to far above 100. A
firm from whom many of the above facts
were obtained had one tusk which tipped
the scale at l85 pounds. 1t was as thick
as the trunk OF good-siZed tree, aDd a
terrible weapon when welded by the
mighty quadruped to which it belonged.
Besides elephant ivory, a great many
walrus-tUsks are worked up into trinkets
and fancy articles. This Is whittier than
the other, and has not the delicate trace
nv which is SO beautiful In the best ivory.
Speaking Of walrus-tusks reminds the
writer that 10 bin full he saw a lot Of
dog-sledge runners made of them. which
were either defective and therefore pru-
IDENTIFY realized upon, or else some young
EsaulmaU Of err2tic tendency and get
ting somewhat hard up bad to pawn
them and they were sold as unredeemed
pledges. Which il was. the runners
failed to reveal.
A Custoha House Composer.