New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-29
TIE POCKETBOOK.
STRANGE SKINS AND CAREFUL PROC
ESSES

STRANGE SKINS AND CArrr ~ NV
ESSES
A pocketbook OF soft, durable leather Is satis-
flying possession, and H. In addition 10 lts ias'hs
qualities II is bound in gold or silver enrchen WIN
gems and stamped under some OVERLAPPING nap with
the name OF the animal of which II once FORMED
part It has an intrinsic value The portemonhaies
card cases retcules jewel boxes and curio casKe's
fashioned OF skins inaid with onyx ana pear anu
polished to an unwonted us;re. gain an adui'lo"ai
charm from a visi, to the factory where they are
made.
1T takes eight nine months to prepare '"a.
piece OF elephant skin for our workmen use
said the foreman Of Tinanys. exhibiting an uncut
niece OF dun-colored hide. Looking from the men
thick crumped square Of skin 70 the dainty pocket
book beside H. ore can but applaud the skill anu
patient ingenuity which create beauty ana cohNe"-
encc from such seemingly unpromlsng mater'@''
1T is soaked in a liquor bath TO soften H. lheh
Is scraped to get rid OF the hesny poruon A"ie''e
to # (,craped by machinery. but with the manipua-
ton Of several men to hold IT in pace ana THESE
processes are repeated at certain Intervals again
and again before It has become pnaple ehoush u
use or course. a skin thick admits OF being
spli. into many layers. after IT has been surc'en''
trea.c! TO admit OF the use OF the kniie'
Are elephant skins to GET asked the VS.
,.or thinking Of the great. wrinked creatures al
WAYS associated In the public mind wl4l clown
and circus tent.
.pv no means" said the foreman. without hesl-
,ation I'VE have orders out now with no prospect
Of immediate fu,ilment our skins come from '''
interior Of India. The natives hunt the elephants
,bors FOR their tusks. which are so valuable IN
tina, country tho people are lazy and In ths secu'
rornofe from centres OF transportation IL Is '"'
hardest thing IN the world 70 get nc SKINS p'o"R"'
into the towns for export. OccaslohaNF d '7',
tory beast has TO be shot in this country "he"
s,.ro museum, wonder has got loose or astray. In
ants ak
corcn,r,tivelv cheap The skin OF a $lVv" or
e. 90 e.ephaat such as those in tn Park Is worm
IRON, the manufacturers point OF view 500 before
II is made up
What do you think this is? showing VIVA.
looked IKE b,udgeon or billet Of wood. hard and
brittle with the edges curled under ike dr'u
husk. .It is BIT Of sharks skin" the visitor Is
told after puzzling for awhile over the curious
object.
a sharks skin is difficult 10 work with but gives
axouis,te results This piece is incorrlsinle- Inc
more We have treated Il the more STUBBORN j mas
become That ossined mass represents - worm o!
,slualess skin here on the contrary, is piece OF
ot,i,s that we or. keeping back for some unusual
occasion-to make The portemonnaie OF dnchess'
,o- inrtance or 20 he placed on exhibition some
where. These skins a.. come from abroad American
shark skins are no good.
Tho niece OF skin alluded to Was as white as the
drietel sands o. a beach. and the peooiy surface
glistened liz flint or granite on when 'h' sun
shone. -
&c. care explaineI the craftsman, touching the
..,,s.,rs ,lrni-iugv Being an unusually hne skin
+, took the treatment beautifully. Here Is casket
made Of sharks skin" ne added showing curl
o,s.v shared Jewel box the cover and sides iniaid
with Overlapping brown sca.es OF shingles mt
inlad border H. OF bone pike, certain f'o'''d 'S''
oacb scale OF which seems marked IN queer char
,..ers NOT unlike the Chinese hieroglyphics We
think n uniuue and more Ornamental. than mother
ornearr and tha sharks skin admits OF shch
high polish that the contrast Is me. a sH"rN
skin that has rot been beached has TINS wood
colorsd tint. or IT can be dyed any desirable shade
..rbe rri.e OF th's casket?' asked the visitor
,,,,,,c the rich ruby-coiored Innings the secret
l-orere and Strings contained in the dainty box
"o,o hundred and seventy-fve dollars. II Is sold
already
This snakes skin IS alum-cured. which process
,rnarts , dull mstreless finish much sought tor
r,,, continued the foreman. taking out OF
locked case heavy roll OF NOTED pto""'s'-s'' '
akin This other is bark-cursd and glossy. These
s,,Les came from Java AMI they were from SIX
teen TO tveniy-nv feet long.
handsome porkotbook made from TINS MOTIF
skin has tie edges hound In dui gont, an a. ana
corner there INTERVIEWING srrpentS NItu id
notified in natural hues with NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS."
a material called 'membranoid." which IS nothing
moro or less .hen the "tripe' whlcn - cJna4.el ~
a j. icarN. makes up ih'ts 49,
tinted I'm appropriate hucs Ooze-cali mas 1eVslope"
,, ',utr o5ttlad In Orenta. designs. In charm
inc contrast 90 the unvarylng rusS'i proNH " ~.
,Si.b III lovers Of ooZe-calf familiar. drlctY
- ffrt is obtained I'm deer skins by stamping them
from n die in Moorish and Arabic DESIGNS. ..,r
This sea-i.ou is unique. said the foreman. AZ
the tanning ana rubbing and polishing thlt can ~
done TO IL does Obliterate these curious ~.
marks and lines on the surface. Nh,vn are H. &
abouf hv the animal wriggling around on the zee
in Us ha1lVr nyn Of hes marks. claiming that
II never looks now: but others regard II a. inter-
esting FOR this very reason. ,.,
..Tf a man wants TO make a present OF Nplcdl
American article he gives his friend portemQnn lie
made OF the skin OF buffalo. or even OF tnr leNas
steer Buffalo skins are getting ScaItes any a,tf,,l
year by year The Texas steer makes peduului
rich durable leather and Is very popular
~ the lizard skins there IS an ln1hlte Vdrle.y
rhese come TO the factory dried and are soaked
tinted variously. dyed black or dark brown, ana
frequently used IN their natural hue Iney are
beautifully marked and shaded ana when htted up
with silver moun;ings and "a sapphire or opdl IN
troduced unobtrusiyely. they are charming Every
kind OF bird. beast and fish every cline and coun-
trv are levied 10 make these costly appurte,
the ice wastes OF Alaska alike yield up their treas
rres South America South Africa. tn lnlian
grounds for enthusiastic agents eager 10 secure the
most available skins for the house which employs
them Beetles are searched for. that their tropical
coinring may furnish SAMPLES for eweNed limitations
in ornament The chameleon yields up his delicate
coating and the skunk and muskrat the beaver
and the badger tested as to what manner OF
crude materials are being subjected 10 treatment,
expert hands cutting ana Shaping embryo
pocket making neat turnings ahd ohd!iss
and otherwise finishing up the siIdil uetdls ina
90 10 make the perfect whole. Perfection OF nnish.
exactness of detail and dececy of design are in
sisted upon in sucn an establishment with delight
ful results
on A RHINE BOAT.