Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-08-11
BEAUTIFUL CARVED SHELLS.
Wonderful Work Done by the Patient
Peasants In Italy.

"oAucEau1 SNoEh Doue ny CNo faCleDt
Peasants In Italy.
| Novel appointments for the cabi-
net shelf, corner bracket or other
drawing room decoration are the
miniature plaques and medallions of
hand carved shell that come from
! southern Italy. Conchs having pic
/; lures carved on the main surface
/! and left unframed are popular orna.
! ments. Sometimes they are mount.
ed in gilt or in variously tinted
| frames. A conch of moderate size
showing Canova;s dancing girls cut
in the solid shell can be bought for
$35. The carving is as clear cut as
a cameo and shows out beautifully
against the lustrous brown surface
of the she'll. The limbs of the dan.
GERS, their airy drapery and classic
features are as perfect in detail as
though the space of the picture were
measured by feet instead of inches.
All of the scenes wrought on these
conchs are ideal in character, having
to do with clouds and waves and
NEUROLOGICAL figures. 1t is matter
of surprise that so many figures and
such intricate designs can be cut in
such limited space of shell. Nep-
tune and his mermaid nymphs are
pictured on one conch, with the nat.
ural accompaniment of dolphins and
sea lions and winged and filmed
monsters. On another shell Jupiter
and the especial goddesses he favor
ed are shown in a mist of cloud
waves and aureoles. Bacchus and
his devotees are not neglected and
are represented as surrounded with
the vineyards and garlands that
give an innocent pastoral air to even
the tipsiest of revels. Dancing maids
and fairy revels and picturesque
peasant carnivals are other subjects
J chosen.
Medallions of the carved shell
scarcely 8 inches in height a, g
framed in mosaic work and placed
on tiny easels. They are nearly all
heads or busts of NEUROLOGICAL char.
acters. Every curl of hair, every
dimple and every fold of the drapery
stands out clear and lifelike. The
frames of the fine mosaic work are
as handsome as if formed of parti.
colored jewels, and the bright color
ing throws into relief the clea1
Wilderness and purity of the carving
Larger carvings are framed in gilt
and mounted on easels. The gilt Is
wrought into wreaths and garlands,
each leaf and petal looking as if ii
might be picked from the rest
These medallion settings sell TO,
from $50 to 500 and over.
All this work is done by peasant
carvers in the neighborhood of Flor
ence and thereabout, said the i'm
f porter. IF an artist who had at
tanned reputation were to carve 8
3 picture like that on a conch, it would
sell for three times as much. Ths
humble shell carvers in Italy do no
mind how long it takes them to do {
3 piece of work. They carve away o
it at odd moments sometimes fol
, months. Often the workers in shells
are intelligent enough to devise theil
own subjects and set to work on
conch with well defined idea j,
r their head of what they mean t,
+ bring out. Sometimes these me,
v evolve pretty and original pictures
h copying the things they have see,
J. about them ali their lives and beer
Q used to shaping. Gondolas are ia
n vorite subject and swans and differ
ent kinds of fish and birds. In til
; case of these NEUROLOGICAL picture
a pattern is supplied them, and the,
J go by that and never deviate from j
in any particular. All the tools ar
} supplied them from the factory, an,
those who display unusual taste TO
the work are instructed by the arts
who designs the pictures and get
the most difficult parts to do. Ac
cording to the thickness of shell i
the beauty Of the carving that is
if it is intended for bas-relief bus
to be framed. Some shells are nue.
} thicker than others. On most of tn
ordinary shell working the carving
is not deep, but, whether deep o
shallow, it is the groundwork of tn
: dark shell showing underneath tina
gives it its beauty The mosaic wor
o for the frames is done individuall
S by the peasants also. 1t is work tina
takes a long time and much pains
New York Sun.
He Complied.
Mr.. Transcient-Is this all the butte
you have in tho house, Mrs Caterer?