The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-12-05

$ :: !: !, !: !
(GCfV(HgN ued than diamonds
L>SSlp)R Yin his country. En-.
G(e&QJ.1. terprising jewelers.
sss'NAEy 81 made note, prob
xA ably. They COM
49, %s mand their own
price for a fine ex-
ample in Europe and America, but pos
sibly they might double it in China
and still find buyers. And then the
celestial, clever as he is, does not know
everything is not yet acquainted
with the Roentgen rays, which have
caused panic in pearl factories. Hith-
erto, says the London Standard, there
was no means of detecting counter
felt of the best class without damaging
genuine article submitted to the trial
that is, the fraud could not be
proved. But the mysterious light iden-
titles it in an instant. False pearls of
the highest quality may be bought
cheap in consequence and there is a
brisk market for them. At the same
time fraudulent spectators had best go
cautiously to work. If the Chinaman
be unacquainted with the Roentgen
rays he has a vast store of curious
and useful knowledge. Those familiar
with him always incline to expect that
he will produce some ancient dodge"
to confound the too ingenious Euro
pean who would fain pass off an adul-
terated article. Chinese civilization is
SO old and Chinese sWindlers so clever!
For 1000 years at least the latter have
been devising tricks and the former
has been studying means to circum-
vent them. Without any information
on the subject we venture to say that
the manufacture of false pearls has not
been overlooked.
In fact, the Chinese discovered the
nature of the precious things in some
tmmemorial age and turned the secret
to account by placing small objects
within the shell which the offended
mollusk covered with nacre. But in
Europe, so late as the time of Izaak
Walton, it was believed that the oys
ter rose to the surface at full moon,
opened it's mouth and patiently
awaited a drop of dew, which some
how was transformed into a pearl, as
Benjamin of Judela described the proc
ess five centuries before. And the en-
dams of the Red Sea-" whoever they
may have been, We're still accused of
extracting the juice from oysters and
with that liquid fabricating an article
which could scarcely be- distinguished
from the real. It is probable that the
finest specimens extant would be found
among the jewels of the Chinese en-
peror No one has seen that collection,
but many Of the Tartar princes wear
pearls of extraordinary size and beauty
Lii himself displayed a sample. Marco
Polo says that the emperor of his day
took measures to keep up the value.
There was large salt lake in the prov
nce of Caindu, where they abounded-
not of good shape generally, but white.
So many were put upon the market
that the price fell and Kublai Khan
enacted that no man should fish there
without his express license on pain of
death. These were not the fresh-water
variety, but a lake in Thibet must be as
sffectually landlocked as possible.
Doubtless they were extracted from
mussels. The Renaissance suggests
our native product. @
Substantial articles, if net books, have
been written on British pearls. and
therefore we must not deal with that
interesting matter at length. Perhaps
The statement that Julius Caesar was
tempted to invade the island by rumors
Of it's wealth in that commodity was
scandal, but he thought a good deal of
British pearls, and he was a judge.
After his triumph Julius presented a
shield adorned with them to the temple
Of Venus Genetrix, his 'ancestress,'' as
he professed to believe, and a gift Of
tered to her must surely have been
handsome It is rather puzzling, for In
historic time the mussels Of England
have furnished none Of perceptible
value An explanation may be suggest
/ ed, however. Possibly the pearls Caesar
collected were Scotch of origin, which
had been accommodating in the weather
/ SOuLu lOIs :du lAuOAA1lC Au4AU6I I'll dSSo
For it is to be observed that the re-
luown Of British pearls did not last A
century afterWard Pliny wrote that
they were worthless. In that time the
! hereditary store Of Scotch pearls woull
/ be exhausted and the current supply
would by no means keep pace with the
! demand.
At long intervals, which, indeed, be
come longer and longer, really goot
example is still found in Scotch rivers
and brooks those of Aberdeenshir.
especially. The authenticity Of tn,
most famous is guaranteed by the priv.
1 council records. TWAS found in Killie
burn and Sir Thomas Menzies, proves
ssof Aberdeen, got possession of it. H
1 thought it a present for king an
\ in 1920 carried it to London. James
delighted, gave him twelve or four
/ teen chaddar Of victuals about Drum
/ ferline eve can throw no light on thi
! mysterious statement. But an add
tiona1 reward needs no explanation. ST
Thomas also received the customs Q