The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-08-30

lapis Iazui In the world is globe surmount-
ing the grand high altar in the Church OF
Paolo in Vincoli, in Rome. Il rests on
pedestal OF gold and was given by Russian
Car. Malaohite is bright green. It 1t
mottled with green curiously so that II looks
rs II one had taken hammer and shattered
II. These two famous vases have handles OF
gold and each vase is trifie more than four
feet high.
In a tall glass case, 80 clearly cut and
deftly made it looked like block Of crystal,
are a f,w pieces OF jade and other precious
stones belonging to the Car. The jade isin
two pieces. One is punch bowl OF very
large size and 80 clearly and thinly cut as to
be almost transparent. This Is the largest
piece of jade ever cut and is valued at $4,000.
Tho other jade bowl is cut in scroll edges
and is more ornate. while less imposing. A
beautiful little shell vase with gold handles
Is cut out Of single piece OF white topaz 1t
is white as milk and yet clear as water. From
the department of the ministry It st. Peters
burg comes three cabinets made ofvermlllton
wood, lovely fabric, and covered with a
mosaic of hard stones, forming pictures OF
the most delicate vines, flowers, birds and
trees imaginable. Their long, graceful ten
drills of bloom, as flce as the finest ferns,
that wander over an exquisite surface or
turquoise blue il is difficult to believe can
have been done in stones. The entire fronts
OF these cabinets are made OF this famous
mosaic, and one Of them to make took 1881
working days. Each cabinet has value OF
10000, and they are chief features of this
imperial exhibit OF treasures belonging to the
Russian throne and which exhibit was Sc
lected by the little father" himself. The
yermillior wood in which these cabinets arc
mounted is q sort of finer and harder and
pinker mahogany wood. In .. case against
one wall Of this pavilion Is hung Just In long
breadths, lengths OF those famous and most
gorgeous brocades that are woven nowhere
else in the world as they are In Russia, and
which are 30 exceedingly valuable that only
the Empress can wear them. These are used
for court trains, for religious vestments and
sometimes for draperies. They are stiff
enough to stand alone, and are woven the
same on both sides. One piece Is vaued at
$500 an inch The value OF these brocades
lies in the fact that they arc the same on
both sides, and that very wide, heavy gold
and silver threads are used.
All over the Fair one may see vases, furnt-
ture, jewelry, in fact, articles OF all sorts
marked sold. Sometimes one piece will have
q dozen cards on it, showing that it Is to be
reproduced that many times. The pitcher
and teapot and cup und saucer collections
are revelling in this opportunity to buy
u. specimens from almost every country under
the sun. There are lovely things In the Rus
sian exhibit-iittle chocolate-brown cups.
covered with gold half-moons; plates painted
to initiate cardboard embroideries, in crude
blues and reds; in fact, nearly all the pot
terry decorations initiate the designs OF Rus
sian embroideries and brocades.
The silversmith is . great artist in Russia,
and here are cases OF the most gorgeous Stl-
YER and enamel work. Recently the Rus
slams revived the almost lost art OF enamel
ing on silver and so great is the skill required
that tho smallest atter-dinner coffee spoon
and the simplest made is worth ut least &C.
The process is to etch the spoon or article
with the required design and then pour over
it. 80 that it will run only in the little grooves
made by the etcher's knife, tho melted
enamel. If any runs over the edge, rs It
WERE OF the pattern, the piece is spoiled be-
yond use.
In these cases freignted with gold and sill
yer were tiny pieces of fabulous value, one a
gold enameled card case the enamel put on
80 Transparent rs to show the the gold be-
low, was Valued at $1,000. A beautiful COM
munion cup Ii OF jade. bound all arounf
with gold 1t has ball cover OF jude, very
thin. with gold niter for = handle. set
of salt golfers were OF thin lapis lazuli, mala-
chite, rhodonfte, lovely pink. veined ltko
agate with black moss, and also one OF por-
phyry. These were cut into thin shells, and
had sandles Of twisted gold set on the edgo
with emeralds. Thus it is that luxury reigns
supreme in the land Of the Car. little
shallow pin tray of jade has handles OF SOLID
gold, and is worth $780,
Among the church decorations is a virgin
and child finely painted and set in goio
frame; the virgin Is completely roDeo IN
pearls. This small ornament is worth sew
eral thousand dollars, and its duplicate is
owned by. Mrs. Potter Palmer.
II Ia said the Russian fur exhibit Is insured
for 81, ,0Oo. 900. 1t includes the rsEest furs