Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-10-30
The Inlayers Of Hanoi.

Hanoi. a city of French Topquin, says
a writer in the Journal des Voyages, has a
furnishing industry in the incrustation of
precious woods lh mother of pearl. The
industry is SO important that whole
street, called the street of the Inlayers is
given up TO it. and constitutes the sole
curiosity of the city. Strangers TO the
art pass hours in watching the native
workmen. The latter are genuine ar
fists. masters of delicate handicraft de-
mandlug at once artistic perception and
high manual skill. Furnished with rude
tools, but with much patience and skill,
these wurkmen produce articles of great
beauty. CLEANING with rainbow hues.-
Here is II ,heaf nf many colored flowers,
there are delicious arabesques, yonder is
landscape gliIiering in the sun.
The workmen have applied the priDci-
pie of the division of labor to their art
There are he cabinetmakers. who put to-
gelher the different parts of the material
To- he incrusled. The process of joining
is done without the aid of nails, aud with
system of nice doveluling and the use
"f paste of which lacquer is the base
The wood employed is of two distinct spe-
cirs of palisander, sometimes called violet
ebony, and by the native tiac, and true
,hnnv from the forest OF the Red River,
oi Tpnquin. This latter. which the ma
lives call noun. is especially valued by
reason of its close. grain and its deep
black, which brings out the shifting glo-
ries of the mother Of pearl. Objects Of
incrusled ebony are more costly than
lhn,e OF violet ebony.
When The cabinelmaker has prepared
he wood il passes into the hands OF the
design, r, who makes sketches of the or
namenlalion upon rice paper. These de-
,igus are transferred to the wood by the
iulayer, whose duty it is to choose the
prarl that will best serve to bring out the
beauty uf the design. The mother Of
pearl is Obtained from species of large
shellfsh called casque, chiefly caught up
IN the shores of the island of Poulo.Con-
lar. The iulayer cuts the mother Of
pearl into bits four or FIVE cenlimeters in
diameter, aud chooses the combination Of
cnlors that shall yield the contrast neces-
.nry fr the artistic success of his work.
Ills art lies in The skill TO arrange the
pieces So as to obtain the best effect of iri-
,lrsceuce. This he heighieus by the use
uf sort of pearl dust furnished by a
kiud Of great musse taken from the
nrouks IF rbe region. The play of light
upon these mussels gives the whole gamut
If The rainbow.
TIE bits of pearl chosen, the inlayer
strives to give them the form Of the de-
Ign and to di-pose of them as a veriIable
mosaic in the wood. The crude morsel
!. rendered translucent with prmice stone.
II Is then fixed in vise and the inlay
et's labor of patience begins. Crouching
npon his heels before the wise, he shapes
the piece with lie smaller than an or
lnury colored crayon. The pearl fash
ipuel. il is necessary TO trench The wood
To- receive it. This is ordinarily done by
children fuurleen or fifteen years old
rhev follow the lines of the design with
buring and chancel tiny ir'nches Of a
milimeler in diameter. The bits Of pearl
are then set in the grooves aud fixed with
lacquer paste The whole is gently
heated to melt The paste, aud 50 till all
nler.lices. The iulayer then polisbes
his work. varnishes it aud gives it finish
rng touches with the burin. The work
+ 50 brauliul aud 81 costly that it is
much c,unleririred by cheaper methods,
never with entire success.