The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-25
Artificial Pracians Ston 8.

I
lis the manufacture of imitation
stones carried on to any extent in thi
countre?''
We'll, there are limitations and i'm
| itations, you know. Nearly all th,
! paste comes from France, rs il can b,
| produced more cheaper there than here.
| five-siXths of the paste sold under vari
Gus names would not deceive child
Ii is bought and sold by the quart, one
| might almost say. for n mere song. ant
looks just like what it is glass, and of.
ten bad glas;, at that Now look al
this, and as he spoke. the dealer held
out at arms length with pair of Iii
viderS what appeared to be u fine two
carat brilliant, just shade off color.
A close inspection showed thar the low
er half of the stone was CaSad in n tiny
metal cup. Nov, no one bat an ex-
pert can say whether that il a genuine
brilliant or not. As "A matter of fact,
it is foilcd paste, and worth in trade less
than dollar. The foil is placed bo
tween the lower part of the stone and
the cap or covering. but when the work
is we'll executed ii takes an expert To
detect its presence. There is even !,
more artful and effective WAY OF simu-
lating the diamond. bnt am pleased 10
say for the credit ol the trade that the
counterfeit is rarely made i'm this
country.
The doublet, as it is called. is made
by fixing a slice OF thin diamond, a
worthless cutting from large stone.
on the table OF brilliant with invisible
cement. A piece of glass is then aflix-
Ell to the bottom of the false stone,
which is cut flat, not to point. This
ox-. Al
of the stone so that the file test will not
touch it. These false stones are almost
exclusively used for the purpose of de-
tranding~ the people, and YOU will rare
~ come across one even in the trade
Emerald, ruby and sapphire doublets are
used freely, and it is almost impossible
for the impractical eye to detect them.
Do not misunderstood me, they are not
sold as genuine. but as limitations, and
very beautiful they are. A garnet is
used as the top layer, or blue or. green
glass is affixed to the bottom of the
stone, according to the natural color of
the simulated stone. Here is a mag
nificent specimen of scarce GEM
said the lapidist, taking an oval-cut
green stone, with rich russell tinge in
1t, from drawer in his private cabinet
The stone weighed, perhaps, six carats,
and possessed much bril1iancy. lit is
called an Alexandrite, said he, s'and
is found in Siberia. This gem is remark
able and valuable because, while by
daylight it is green, as yon soc it now,
by gaslight it is full rich purple in
color. Here is a remarkable gem, y
and the lapidist took up beautifully
cut stone that was yellow on the face
and pure white underneath. THAT is
a specimen of the two-colored sapphire
and is very rare
Ayellow beryl, found at Avondale. Pa.
a large piece of chaleedony, holding
about gill OF water: s
piece of quartz, with hornblende in it;
another piece showing plainly a spray
of rutile and many other curiosities
Mr. Beech showed his visitor, and. but
that he was continually being called
away to weigh this stone. value that.
or give an opinion as to the identity of |
another. he was courteous and obli9ing |
enough to have shown every stone in
his cabinet. = Philadelphia Press.