The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-10-23

the finest collection in the world. Il il
q stone that is worn by persons of rank
in the MOhammedan countries about the
Mediterranean. and has not yet fallen
into disesteem in any continental country
in Europe. In France and Italy it still
enters into the making of every kind Of
ornament worn on the person. and is
considered of such value that it is every
where extensively initiated. The French
and Italians also show considerable skill
In initiating the cat's-eye. which is often
as handsomely and richly set as the true
gem. But the French and Italians are
not SO fastidious in respect to their orna-
ments. Their garments may be of fine
material and fashionably cut, but their
personal decoration seems to be regarded
of secondary importance. A French
man or italian, but especially the latter,
of eminently respectable appearance.
will often be seen wearing ring set
with ONYX, . carbuncle, or even carne-
liam. His watch seal will have the same
setting. and it is attached to very mod
est watch of gold or silver. BY q silver
chain. An American who was supposed
to retain his self-respect and a certain
degree of national pride would be NOR
titled indeed to display silver watch in
public, and if he were obliged, from the
force of circumstances to carry one;
would try and disguise its identity with
a gold or gold plated chain. 1t is but
natural that proud American citizen
should assert his superiority to the
modest subject of an effete monarchy.
This modesty of personal ornament is
also characteristic of the French as a
nation, though as they are richer and
not SO simple in their modes of life, it is
less noticeable than in Italy.
From the demand for rich and taste
full ornaments in America. extravagant
or otherwise. has come the superiority
which the American goldsmiths have
achieved in the manufacture of jewelry
1t is one of the first things that the OBJ
servant travelling American remarks
when he looks into the shOp-windows of
any European city, unless it be Paris,
and Paris even is scarcely an exception.
There is no apparent reason why the
French should not excel the Americans
in taste and ingenuity of design in this
respect. They have the time. they have
the skilled workmen. and wages are low.
They certainly excel in toilet articles
and in all that kind of ornamental work
classed as articles of certu. But in jew
elry they have been content with their
old fashions. The designs which pleased
their ancestors continue to please them.
So in Paris even, but more especially in
the shop windows of the large provincial
towns, may be seen the stones that
Americans have ceased to regard with
favor, and even limitations of them hon.
orably treated to solid gold settings,
with rings, pins, brooches and watch
chains in ancient and tawdry patterns
long since discarded on this side the At
lantic. The display of antique jewelry
is usually paralleled by that of watches.
There is no ingenuity shown in their ex-
ternal decoration. The cases bear the
tasteless enclosing or cutting of curves
and senseless tlourishes put upon them
by the grandsires of the present genera
ton of manufacturers. The average
American watch is not only the superior
of its European congener in correctness
and durability, but as work of art it is
externally beyond comparison.
Italy is still more primitive, its indus
tries being in later period of develop
ment. 1t treats old fashions in gold and
precious stones with even more rever-
ence than they are treated in France.
Naples is the center of the coral market
of the world, and no matter how this
once fashionable commodity may be
discredited elsewhere, here it has its
special shops, its petty merchants on
every steamer that enters the harbor,
and demand that makes it necessary
to keep a supply in the best jewelry es-
adjustments in the city. Little taste is
shown in mounting it and the gold is
always of suspicious quality. Fine
personal ornament is not passion
either of the people of Rome or Naples,
for to what has been already said il may
be added that it is by no means uncom-
mon to see a respectable and we'll
dressed gentleman wearing a steel
watch chain, to which he would prob
ably have added steel watch were such
In article manufactured. The economy
of the Italians, not in jewelry alone.
exceeds even that of the French. The
tradit onal forms Of jewelry appear ev-
erywhere, the heads in lava and in coral,
mosaic, repetitions of ancient patterns,
Etruscan and Florentine work in gold,
canoes and intaglios often beautifully
cut, small turquoises set in cluster and
all the varieties of stones not precious
mounted with more or less bad taste.
Sapphires and rubies are rare, and no.
where, it may be said. in Italy. nor in
any city of France. except Paris, can
there be seen such a display of diamonds
as in several of the shops of San Fran
cisco.-Sdn Francisco Chronicle.