Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-05-06
METALLIC MILLINERY.

ago of trimming the collar and cuffs of
womcn's dresses with lace, network and
other articles in metal, has not been
confined to the daughters of Europe and
America, but has struck a responsive
chord in the savage breasts of the dcni-
zcns of Africa. From all parts of the
dark continent comes q cry for the
cheap and gaudy metal millinery of
Christendom. Tho demand is particu-
larly large, says brakes Magazine,
from the communities where brass, cop
per and other wire has long been en-
ployed as an ornament for the neck,
arm, wrist, waist and ankle. The prac-
ticc is followed by the warriors as we'll
as the women, and is said to produce
very picturesque results. A chief or
belle whose costume consists of mile
of bright brass or FURNISHED copper
wire, with small cloth around the
the European traveller.
In Christendom the practice has grad
ually grown to rather large proportions.
According to n late price list the metals
employed to make the fabrics are gold,
platinum, gold plate, silver, silver plate,
nickel, steel, german silver, pewter,
lead and Berlin iron. The articles
manufactured include collars, collar
cites, wristbands, belts, sashcs, braid,
lace, crochet work and embroidery.
Over three thousand designs are in the
market already, and more than twenty
manufacturers advertise to reproduce
any design within n reasonable time to
please either jobber or retailer. In one
system the goods are produced in the
rough by passing sheets of metal be-
tween embossed cylinders of hardened
steel. This makes the cheapest and
poorest work in the market. 1t is
chiefly employed in manufacturing met
al collars, belts and attachments for
hanging watches, handl1erchiefs and
pocl1etbools to the waist. It's only adj
vantage is that it enables n poor shop
girl to buy a silver-washed belt for one
dollar which resembles in faint way n
handsome silver one costing forty dol
lars or more. The rolls will not turn
out fine goods, such as lace work and
the like.
A second method employs dies run by
steam power and the requisite metal
rolled in sheets of high tensity. For
merly it was difficult to get dies and
stamps to do really fine and delicate
work. The coinage of silver and gold
and the enclosing of tin were about
the highest points reached. Recent i'm
provemcnts in mechanical science and
art have brought in a vast change for
the better, and now enable the metal
smith to stamp out fabrics as fine and
delicate as BRUSSELS lace. In series of
experiments, according to this mode of
manufacture, admirable reproductions
in steel, tin and aluminium bronze were
made of fcrnc, cycads, Nottingham lace
and crochet work. The work is eS-
quisitcly delicate and can be brCs sht
down to n thickness not much exceed
ing silver foil. The imitation of fab
RIGS is excellent, especially that of lace
work. A steel collarctte, to be fastened
to the outside of coat collar, is made
by this method with such ciean-cut
angles and fine lines as to suggest the
finest kind of the jewelers. art.
The third system consists in so modi-
flying the knitting machine and the lace
loom as to allow the use of metallic
threads instead of others. The first en-
pertinent in this line probably took
place in the successful production Of
braiding and weaving of wire into
all sorts of patterns, Tine third step
was easy, and brought Interviewing
down to Il common level with all other
kinds. Metal work has this advantage
over linen, wooden, cotton and silk 1t
can be drawn into threads of almost
mathematical perfection, and through
subsequent treatment with chemicals
can be made almost finer than
the human eye cun perceive.
When such filaments as these are
employed in weaving, the resulting web
is moro delicate than the gossamcr of
tho poets. by using n form of the
jacquard loom, it is possible to weave
colorcd pictures in metal, using rcd,
green and yellow gold, white or black
silver, gray platinum, red copper and
other distinct shades. by using the
Same variety of metals with lace loom
ehroInatic effects can he produced such