Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-08-05

hardness OF the onyx is remembered.
1t looked like an impression in wax,
and in that material, even, the delicacy
Of the lines could not have been ex-
celled. The rugged features of the
threat Commander" were especially
lifelike and striking.
What is your valuation of that me-
dallionP" was asked.
II was at work on that piece for
nearly four months, not continually,
of course, and if anybody wished to
purchase it could not let it 90 for
less than $780,"
"Will you give me a description of
your working methods, and some gen.
eral information of the materials you
practice uponp"
''Our main commissions are designs
on onyx, though we occasionally work |
on jasper. comedian, jade, lapis-lazuli,
and other hard ornamental stones, of |
course, excluding all precious Cor re-
fracting) gems. Onyx-called massik
i'll the rough-is found mainly IN Bra
iii, in pieces weighing from a few
pounds to several tons. Here are some
specimens. Observe how it is marked
with veins and layers of different color.
Sometimes, in large piece, there are
five or six colors. but as a rule there
are only two. When the colors are
even and sharply defined, after polish
ing they are fit for the lapidary with
out further trouble. Of course but a
very small portion of the piece as dug
out is fit for stone-cutting. The aver
age is about one-twentieth usually in
the center of the stone. 1t requires
great dexterity to cut this portion out
to the best advantage. When the color
line is not even, they fit them for COM
mon work by coloring with various
acids. Almost all the cameo and
onyx stones in store rings are of this
description. The greater part of the
massik found is of the white and black
variety. This stone, when cut and
polished, is called onyx. When one of
the layers is carved with design of
any kind, so that the whole of one
layer is cut away with the exception of
the raised design, it is called a cameo.
When the design is cut into the
stone until it reaches the bottom layer,
it is termed intagio. The rough mas
six is not polished or cut into jewelers.
sizes in America. The great seat of
this branch is in Germany, around Mo-
selle and the smaller cities of the
Rhine. The water facilities there are
very great, labor is very cheap and
well organized, and stones are pro-
duced ready for the engraving tool at
rates unapproachable elsewhere. A
large amount of cameo and intaglio
cutting of perfunctory and effective
kind is also done in this same district.
These stones are shipped to other Euro
pean countries, to Providence, r. l.,
and other jewelry centers in America,
where they are mounted by the manu-
facturers in gold Of various qualities.
This is the class of goods sold in forty
nine stores out of fifty. They pass
muster with the multitude, as they are
snowy and reasonable in price, but for
connoisseurs and others who will have
the best few of the best stores import
artistic work from Italy or have it cut
to their order here. You would hardly
believe that / can buy canoes and in
taglios at lower rate than these I'M
engraved stones, but it is a fact for all
that. The larger articles, such as
match-boxes, toilet bottles, and various
ornaments of all kinds in onyx, corne-
liam, jade, ETC., are all produced there.
| They could not be turned out in this
country for double or treble the price,
even with the duty included"
"Will you please explain the differ
ent processes necessary to the produc-
ton of such work as thisp" said the re-
porter, taking up the bust of President
Cleveland.
1.-THE stone is first ground into the
shape and thickness required on the
steam wheels. As the work progresses
they are taken from the larger to the
smaller wheels, so that absolute exact
itude is attained The stone is then
firmly secured with lapidary's cement
to piece of wood like this, about
three inches long and twice the size of
the stone. The outline from the por-
trait or wax cast is then penciled on.
l always do my own outline drawing,
but In Germany this is done by men
who have no connection with the actual
cutting. After that all depends on the
acuteness of sight and delicacy of
touch in the operator. A great deal
also depends on the perfection of
the tools used. For cameo work
| use almost two hundred tools.
These can not be bought ready
made, but must be manufactured
in the workshop here. often have to
design and make number of tools of
a peculiar shape, before l can start in on
an intricate piece of work. These tools
are almost all of one kind. Take up
any of those on this stand. At one end
YOU see, is screw which fits into my
foot-lathe; at the other it gradually
tapers off, and at the point is worked
into a sort of a circular saw. The
diameters of the miniature saws vary
from one half an inch to one-twenty-
eighth. This is one of the smallest;
you can not see the saw with the naked
eye. The steel must be tempered per-
fectly, and teeth quite even or they
are not fit for their task. l. first cut
around the penciled outline until !
reach the bottom layer when l slice it
off. This is done with some of the
larger saws. Afterward l cut the
features and accessory details. As the
work approaches completion the finer
are the tools brought into use, and the
slower is the progress"
.Do you do your work with the
naked eye"
ssNo indeed use an eve-niece n,