Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-01
FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Some of the Pretty Novelties That Are
Shown

Weddings and preparations TO- C-.Iss.
mas are the occupations of November, with
Thanksgiving day thrown In as an Incl
dental and finale. The people Immediately
interested take care of the weddings, but
the Christmas question Is one that appeals
to every one, and December l Is date that
is calculated to strike mild terror to the
soul and make the dilatory ones feel that
something must be done, and that at once.
Handmade articles have been probably
thought of and prepared to some extent
long before this, but gifts to be bought are
now the consideration, and as usual at the
holiday season, the shops are full of tempt
ing things for the purpose.
More real novelties have appeared this
year than were to be found anywhere last
season. so the pleasant but perpieXing,
question of selecting presents is made easier
accordingly. or course, the jewellers take
the lead i'll handsome and expensive goods
often varying and enlarging the assert
ment just for the holiday time. Most beau
tiful articles are made from different skins,
gold mounted, often with jewels or ac
compartments, and one such bit is q card
case made from the skin of an African
BIRD, the texture being much like that of
chickens leg while the socket of each
feather is prominent, the color being a Ialc
soft brown. The ornamcntation consists of
plain gold corners, and on the upper side
which a gold serpent has apparently
crawled, the space between the openings
conccaling part of its body, the tail and
head visible for an inch or SO each way a
good-sized ruby SliStening as an eye
though never before liking d snake used
decoratively. this is made SO artistic with
all the materials so fine, that / call it one
of the most beautiful specimens of suc n
work. Forty dollars is the price that some
body will probably pay in order 10 secure
this dainty trihe for some fortunate young
woman.
Novelties in Cut Glass.
Another skin used in combination with
jewelers. work is that of South Ameri-
can fish, green and chargeable, like those
of the Brazilian bugs once so popular
The scale marks are line and the colors
exquisite The form most affected for this
Is that of small boxes, mounted in gold
and with a painted medallion on the Id
Various shapes are made, and the gold
decoration is sometimes repousse, some
times plain, the latter beiEg rather the
handsomer of the two. Another decided
novelty, and let us hope it will remain So
Is human skin, tanned ard made up into
fanciful articles but the suggestion IS too
unpleasant to be pursued.
Cut glass shows some variation i'm hay-
ing a color introduced: both red, of a light
shade, and green are used in this way
part OF the vase or whatever it may be-
showing the color, and part being trans
parent. The green Is far prettier than the
other, especially in vases, for the green
stems of flowers showing through tone
with the color of the glass, making a
pleasing effect. Lamps are displayed in
larger numbers than ever, and, of course
many have the exaggera ted shades of silk
and chiffon, but a reaction is surely com
ing In favor of smaller ones and the
latest style particularly for little lamps
is small globe of glass either white or
colOred, to correspond with the lamp.
In Tortoise Shell.
Tortoise shell, principally made up into
hair ornaments, has unusually attractive
forms this year: the very latest novelty,
perhaps. is a small pair Of Mercury wings,
carved from both pale and dark shell-very
thin-and mounted on a hinge, SO as to adj
Just the angle to suit the arrangemcnt Of
the hair. These are fragile, but lovely, and
81 is the price of this specially pretty gift
article. Other shapes are the princes
feather, beautifully carved, and standing
high above the hair, for which s. Is asked
and another high ornament, something like
sword hilt with a twist given to the
top projection, is also 81 This last is cs-
pecially becoming with hair dressed high
and small, according to the present fashion.
Solid shell in two strands loosely twisted
shape. this being s. also. OF course there
are plenty of smaller pieces. less ornamen-
tal and less expensive but these | have
mentioned are the handsOmest to be found
in shell alone, without gold or jewelel set
ting. The latter are too numerous to de-
scribe small side combs alone being shown
in greatest variety.