The morning call., 1892-01-01
ABOUT AMBER.
The Wonderful Properties of a
:. Very Strange Substance.
Poets Of Every Cline Have Drawn Beautiful
Imagery From Clots of Sunshine" I'm
prlsoned Within Its Boundaries.

Amber is very strange substance. If
you give it a casual glance it looks very
much like the yellow glass limitations of it
SELF but when you think of its many
wonderful properties and the beautiful
lengends attached to it a my sterious charm
is thrown over the tints of mellow gold re-
Elected in soft radiance from its surface.
The history of this gem of the sea, 'love-
lest amber that even the Sorrowing sea
birds have wept," its formation, its an
tiquity, its mysterious properties and its
rich variety of colOring have been subjects
of investigation and discussion from
period long before the beginning Of the
Christian era.
Poets of every cline have drawn beauti-
full imagery from the "clotS of sunshine"
imprisoned within its boundaries; philos-
ophers have speculated on its electrical
manifestations; superStitiOus people have
endowed it with the supernatural power
attached to amulets and charms made of
it; entOmol0gistS have spent much time in
examining the curious development OF in
sect life buried within its transparent SUBJ
stance; bOtanists have studied its strange
growlhs, and biologists have reveled in the
old cOnifeT0us forests of amber-dropping
pines From the earliest ages it has graced
the necks OF fair women. by some being
considered as preventive of throat dis
eases, and men have ever found tobacco
Divine in hookahs, glorious in pipe,
When tipped with amber, mellow. rich and ripe
THE LARGEST QUANTITY OF AMBER
Is found on the southern shore of the Bal
tic, between Memel ana kOnigSberg, where
it is cast up by the action of the ground
swell after the nOrtherly gales 1t is also
found on the coast of the Adriatic, on the
English beach of Norfolk and Suffolk. and
at Cape Sable in Maryland. Mining for
amber in beds of brown Ignite or
wood coal is carried on in Prussia,
and 1t is found in excavations all over
Europe. About 1000 pounds Of it are
obtained annually from the Prussian shore
of the Baltic. and great part OF IL is ex-
ported to stantinOpe and manufactured
into beads and mouthpieces TO pipes and
meerschaums. 1t is found IN irregularly
shaped pieces, usually Of small size, but in
1916 a mass weighing eleven pounds was
found in Prussia, and few years ago the
largest lump Oh record, weighing twenty
two pounds, was discovered on the shores
of the Baltic. A mass weighing eighteen
pounds was found in Lithuania. and is now
preserved in the royal cabinet at Berlin.
The color of amber is of all shades, from
a pale straw to deep orange. A species
called the Falernian, from ITS similarity in
color to the celebrated rich, golden wine OF
that name. was the most priced by the
Romans. The clearneSs is OF all degrees
from perfect transparency 10 cloudy opacity.
1t is brittle, but it eau be easily cut with
sharp knife. When rubbed it develops
electrical properties and attracts light
bodies, and doubtless it was this fact that
early drew attention TO it and Invested it
with the romantic interest that attracted
TO it
IN ANCIENT TIMES.
The earliest notice of amber we find Oe-
ours in the Odyssey of Homer. where "the
gold necklace hung with bits of amber" is
mentioned in the list of jewels offered by
the Phenician traders to the Queen of
Syria. In one Of the Greek fables, account
ing for the origin of amber. it is related
that the sisters Of Phaeton, called the
Heid8, on seeing their brother hurled by
the lightning of JOve into the Eridanus
were transformed by the ritying gods into
poplar trees and the tears they shed were
dropped as amber on the shores Of the river.
In such reDute was amber in Rome in the
time of the historian Pliny that he remarks
sarca ideally: The price Of a small figure
in it, however diminutlve, exceeds that OF
living. healthy slave" He observes
also: True it is that collar of
amber beads worn about the necks of
young infants is Il singular preservative
against secret poison and counter charm
for witchcraft and sOrceries." He says
further that as an article OF personal
ornamentatiOn amber was used to produce
limitations of precious stones by artificial
staining, Use 10 which it was peculiarly
! adapted, owing to its brilliant luster, COM
bined with the ease with which it could be
worked and polished.
During the reign OF Nero an expedition
was sent from Rome to explore the amber
producing country, and so successful was
the party that present OF $1,000 pounds OF
amber was brought back to the Emperor,
including piece weighing thirteen pounds.
As material for art carving nothing can
be more beautiful There are many beauti-
full specimens OF ii TO be found in the royal
collections of Europe. In the English COL
lection at South kenSingt0n is an octagonal
casket
BELONGING TO THE QUEEN,
The oblong plates carved with figures en-
blematic of the cardinal virtues. There
is also in the same collection a
larger casket of architectural design, very
remarkable for the variety Of cOl0rs OF the
amber used In its construction. 1t is orna-
mented with statuettes, twisted pillars and
quaint panelng, the workmanship being
Flemish of the seventeenth century. One
interesting specimen of modern carving in
amber was shown at the international Ex-
position in 1862 in the form Of vine branch
with leaves and fruit.
Amber is often seen carved Into elegant
forms in ancient Etruscan jewelry. The
magnificent necklace known as the Prince de
CaninU'S, the masterpiece of the EtruScan
goldsmith, has pendants of alternate beetles
OF sardonyx aud amber. Juvenal repre-
sentS his patron displaying at his feast
bowl embossed with beryls and raised
work of amber. Pliny records the
fact that it was used to initiate
all the transparent stones. especially the
amethyst. The Turks and the Armenians
are among the best judges of amber, and the
bazaar at Stambonl, where the amber
workers are located, is full of interest to
the connoisseur. Sums varying from 500
to $500 are readily given for a pair of chi
bouque mouth-pieces, moderate in size, but
well matched as TO color.
large quantity of amber. particularly
the c0arser kind. is exported to China
where it is used in the form of powder in
incense. 1t is used also in the manufacture
of varnishes for carriages. builders and
photographers. The kind used for carriages
is expensive, and it takes long time to dry,
but it is harder and more impenetrable than
any varnish known. hiladelphia Times.