Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-08
CHINESE THRIFT,
Even Nut Shells and Fruit stones Are Pu,
to Good Use.

Even Nut Shells and Fruit stones Are Put
to Good Use.
From the Journal of the Society Of Arts
Nothing is wasted in China. Tho stones of
various fruits and the shells of nuts are cleaned,
dried and carved into ornaments Of the most
graceful kind. Among the stones used are the
olive. plum, peach and cherry, and of the shells
the walnut and cocoanut. The stones are col
lected with care; each must exceed q certain
standard Of size, proportion. hardness and
weight. They are dried slowly and at such a
heat not to crack sprout and are then
ready for the carver. The designer makes q
rough outline of the future group or picture
and hands it over to his boys or apprentices.
These work with great rapidity and soon block
out the design, cutting through the hard lig-
neous tissue. and then extract the kernel A
second treatment now takes place to dry the IN
terror Of the shell, as well as to prevent the fine
lining of the interior from undergoing decom-
position This completed the designer sketches
a second outline and also indicates by ais pen
ell or brush where tbs surface is to be manip-
ulated, made into leaf work or arabesque. or be
cut altogether awav. The work is performed
by the subordinates. as At first The designer
then does the finish ing touches. after which the
assistants clean, polish and bill or WAX the per-
fected carving. The stones sold in tss
in other forms. Among these may be men
toned buttons, watch charms, sleeve links ear
rings and brooches. and when strung together.
bracelets, anklcts necklaces. watch chains. rosa
ries and official ornaments. The price of a
stone varies greatly with the workmanship and
the fame of the carver. Some may be bought
as low as sd. apiece; others command as high
as IS. and lis. each. The average price is Is.
3D. q stone. with a handsome discount for pur-
chasss in quantity.
The carvings displayRreatvariety and beauty.
One class represents punches OF flowers and
leaves. in which pistls. stamens and tendrils
are accurately executed. Similar TO these are
fruits and flowers and flowers and keaves.
second class is composed of carvings of birds,
reptiles and higher, animals. The dragon,
griffin stork. horse, lion, tiger, camel elephant
and bull are the favorite figures. A canon in
Chinese carving is to reproduce only those ami
mails which have been deifed and those men,
toned are about the only ones which have
ENJOYED divine honors. third class. and by
far the most interesting, comprises groups Of
human figures, representing scenes in history,
poetry, mythology and the drama The work
manship is often so fine 70 be microscopic in
its delicacy. In fact. the finishing touches
made by the artist while using a magnifying
glass Of at least fifty diameters On stones not
over an inch in length along their major axis ii
is not uncommon TO find eight, nine and ten
characters in different attitudes and costumes.
Unlike most phases of Chinese art. there is
much regard paid to perspective and foreshort-
eninR. Some OF these pieces might have been
made by Hindoo or Italian artists. SO free are
they from local conventionalism. Nevertheless,
in the main, conventionalism 10 all-preyailing.