Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-02-23
THE LATEST CRAZE
TlfIDx Of AnglOmania, Rociety Leaders
Find Diversion In Russian Customs.

SON attempted to substitute Russomania
for Anglomania The after dinner
coffee was served q In Russo, double
sleighs were rallied in with eight-inch
! pickets and Ornamented with black
and red pompons. The lalies ordered
MOst ow livery that came near turning
! merchant tailoring establishments into
lunatic asylums, and which cost them
the service of the trusted old coach
man to display the red-scarfcd Uniform.
White silks were ripped up and made
| again after night-gown pattern. to fin
ish which a small fortune was spent
for black fur. At the Russian teas real
glasses and saucers. colors. cakes and
, rolls of the nation were introduced,
and the walls were draped with flags.
rugs. druggets and tapestry Dough,
or borrowed from the oriental shops.
Bulgarian ornaments decorated the
mantels and cabinets. touches were
made up in Polish fashion. and in the
cutting of the crystal bowls could be
seen the Cars own crest Before din
ner, invited guests were both amused
and interested at the symbol of Rus
sian hospitality-black bread and salt
presented at the threshold of the dining
room from a silver tray, one-half finished
to represent damask napkin. and the
other half overlaid with gold in the
form Of basket work. Then came cold
tea Ia Russo. served in etched glasses
of such perfect purity that one could
see through etching. tea and glass any
object opposite. These lovely mugs
cost more than solid silver. and to own
half a dozen was like owning span of
white elephants. Russian glass is con-
trollcd by the Car. and the peculiar
feature is that it takes precedence over
all other enameled glass in transpar-
ency, the designs being as clear as the
body of the glass itself An intense
heat is necessary to procure this result,
and often 4 dozen are sacrificed in the
fabrication of one.
Now comes the rage for Russian
jewelry, and agents are securing the
country for designs that will admit OF
reproduction. At the bottom of the
scale is amber made into hair orna-
mcnts, girdles. combs. toilet boxes.
bracelets and clasps for the ankles and
elbows. One very lovely girdle, in
tended for 4 81 TX and blue-fox robe.
made of rocco twisted gold set with
turquoise and alternating with amber.
was sold to an uptown lady at private
sale before the goods were put in stock.
Most of the jewelry is large in design.
but the workmanship is marvellous,
consisting of mosaics. tiligree etching.
and cutting on laid metal. One mar
vel of ingenuity. intended for breast
pin or belt buckle. made of jasper.
was inlaid with onyx and scrpentine.
repres cnting cluster of grapes. Ear
rings. seals for bracelets. bangles and
mosaics. to be set in book or box.
cover, are shown in topaz Of crimson.
yellow beryl. pink jade and canary
amethyst. averaging four ounces and
exquisitely carved. In the work there
are war scenes. landscapes true to the
Ural and Baltic. wandering Tartars.
picturesque Bedouins. spirited horses
and fearlcss-looking Bulgarians tc
choose from, but never glimpse OF
the life Of the poor Siberian exiles. who
while away their enfo reed leisure in
this wonderful work.
Generally the Russian jewels are too
heavy for personal adornment. That
is to say. Siberian carved comb will
cause worse headache than Il crown.
and pair of earrings would tear cut
the lobes of IN elephants auricuiar APP
pendages. Used for girdles. buckles.
bangles. or Is pin to hold
in p ace a rufile or bow. there is no no.
ton that can compete with the prod
uct of Bulgarian jewelers..
Slavonic table ware is rare and cor
precious. The material
is silver OVERLAND with gold. and hcav-
lily enamelcd. Weight cuts IN impor-
tant figure in the designs. which are
often based on platinum. and invaria-
bly, inscribed in SlavOnic. the Russian
crest. pair of efirontant eagles. hav-
ing \ conspicuous corner.
Sauccrs with handles. worked in
enamel after Byzantine patterns. arc
priced for table use. and make very
receptacle for olives, bon
bons. or like dessert. The tea sets
are also copied from the Byzantine
period. and include tray. sugar and
cream jugs. teapot and pair of glasses.
Tor it must be remembered that tea a la
Russo is generally drank cold. and al
ways from glasses. In appearance the
.umblers are similar to the soda glass,
being sunk in a fiiagree frame of met
Al, while the other articles are COM
posed Of silver and platinum or gold in
1alf relief of enamel
Nearly all the Russian ware received
IN Chicago is bought through Eastern
firms. and is 50 very expensive that. all
old, the purchases would not fill
,n0 shelf of buffet Chicago Inter
Ocean.