The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-17

be as readily worked as marble is
throughout Europe. Many of the ma
chimes are of primitive character not
century. but the facilities for saving,
for drilling large columns, for channel
ing, growing, polishing, ETC., are ingen-
louS, and are employed with the great
est skill.
The lapidary work performed there
may be divided into three classes: First,
the manufacture OF vases, dashes and
papeT-weightS, always of jasper, rhodon-
lie, malachite, lapis lasuh, aventurine,
or the like. and often of large size.
When the objects are OF malachite or
lapiS laZuli, the body is made Of slate,
or other readily worked stone, and then
veneered with thin coating of those
precious substances. Jewels, caskets.
seals. and small charms are made either
plain or futed, or ornamented with
leaves. scroll-worh, or other devices.
Seals and cameo work, in the form OF
animals. busts of the reigning car, OF
are also produced.
Bit of Mosaic That Cost $500
Days Labor.
Second. the manufacture of other OBJ
iects of mosaic-work, and also pieces in
full relief, somewhat in the Florentine
STYLE. made of such stones as perfectly
simulate berries Iruit, leaves or flowers.
Thus for raspberries, rhodonite OF q
dark pink color is used for red or black
cherries, a peculiar colored sard and
black onyx; for white currants, rock
crystal spheres. which are cut hollow
in the center and the inner parts are 50
engraved as TO perfectly simulate the
seeds. The leaves are generally made or
noble serpentine. For grapes d peculiar
colored sard. black onyx. or dark purple
amethyst is used; black onyx for black
berries and peculiar yellow Jasper Tor
Inulberries. These fruits are generally
grouped on pieces OF Jasper. or placed on
Jasper dishes, and are marvellous for
their eXactness as to the color, luStre
and form of natural fruit. one panel OF
position required forty-eight hundred
days 10 complete. or in other words,
fourteen men tor three years.
Third. the cutting of facetted stones,
such as topaz, sapphire, ruby, qu&Gtz %
various colors, and the royal amethyst
from Chitanka and Mursinkal by means
OF the cadran, machine held in the
hand, which produces work remarkable
Tor accuracy and beauty of finish.
The Eaatherinbourg lapidary works
employ seventy-tive men, receiving
$3.50, and ten boys at from two to ten
roubies per month each, $l.00 TO $500. A
training school connected with the
works was started in 1871 AT present
there are fifty-fiVe boys as pupils. Grad
yates have the option either of. remain
ing as lapidaries in the government
works or becoming master-Workmen on
their own account.
All the designs for these works are
made in Peterhoff, near Petersburg A
wax model the exact size Of the object,
IS formed by expert modeliers, and then
sent TO the ldpidaries to copy. The orig
iual designs are finally returned to Pc
tersburg, 10 remain secret in the cab
met Of the Car.
Millions of Pounds of Precious Stones
In August. 1891, there were at least
one million eighty thousand pounds of
7-ho6onite. jaspers Of various colors,
Jade and other allied stones at the Eka-
luxembourg works. \ mass OF katkan-
SKY JASPER weighed eighteen thousand
1oI,nGs. and a single block of rhodonite
vas brought to these works weighing
hundred pounds. 1t was transported on
sledqes made of iron and wood, drawn
by over ninety horses. 1t required an
entire week to transport the stone from
the mine about fourteen miles SOUTH
west of Ekatherinbourg-
Many small and fine objects, as wen
as fine mosaic work Of hard stone III
valling anything ever made elSeWhere,
are used at the PetershoH iapidagy
building. established by Catherine II,
and situated between the new and the
old Peternon palaces, about forty MIN
Jtes' ride from Petersburg. 1t is tnIee-
story building with palatial interior dec
orations. The central hall is one hum
f1red and fifty feet square Here Is seen
the most elaborate machinery for stone
work One floor is entirely filed wsta
glass cases containing stones to be
worked up in the building.
1t Is only on reaching the nniShlng
room Of the Peterhoff works that one
REALIZES what is accomplished there. a
pair of magnificent Kalkansky jasper
vases and pedestals, measuring six feet