The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-05-22
BEAUTIFUL CARVED SHELLS.
Wonderful Work Done By the Patisns
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 Cauova's dancing girls cut
in the solid shell can be bought for
$S5. The carving Is as clear cut as
a cameo and shows out beautifully
against the lustrous brown surface
of the shell The. limbs of the dan
GERS, their airy drspery 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
conohs are ideal in character, having
to do with clouds and waves and
NEUROLOGICAL figures. 1t is a matter
of surprise that 90 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 finned
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 mails
and fairy revels and picturesque
2 peasant carnlvals are other subjects
Z chosen.
Z Medallions of the carved shell
scarcely inches in height are
= framed in mosaic work and placed
S on tiny easels. They are nearly all
heads OF busts of NEUROLOGICAL char
!, acters. Every curl of hair, every
5 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 part
cOlored jewels, and the bright color
ing throws into relief the cleal
whiteness and purity of the carving
Larger carvings are framed in gil
and mounted on easels. The gilt II
wrought into wreaths and garlands
each leaf and petal looking as if i
m might he picked from the rest
Ia These medallion settings sell 10
y from $50 to s1OO and over.
I" "All this work is done by peasan
r. carvers in the neighborhood of Flor
,d ence and thereabout. said the i'm
X porter. If an artist who had al
E tanned reputation were to carve
picture like that on a oonch, il woul
g. sell for three times as much. Tin
il humble shell carvers in Italy do &c
pr mind how long it takes them to do
piece of work They carve away G
it at odd moments sometimes fo
:" months. Often the workers in shell
ia. are intelligent enough to devise the
own subjects and set to work on
conch with a we'll defined idea
'se their head of what they mean
bring out. Sometimes these me
evolve pretty and original picture
81 copying the things they have SET
about them all their lives and bee
3 used TO shaping. Gondolas are 4
vorite subject and swans and diffe
ent kinds of fish and birds In Il
case of these NEUROLOGICAL pictur
ret a pattern is supplied them. and the
Did go by that and never deviate from
81 a. in any particular. All the tools a
sat supplied them from the factory, al
at, those who display unusual taste f
/, is the work are instructed by the art
lOc who designs the pictures and &c
~ the most difficult parts to do. A
1cc cording to the thickness of a shell
Dry the beauty of the carving-that
hat if it is intended for a bas-relief bU
ete to be framed. Some shells are mu
to thicker than others. On most OF I
set ordinary shell working the carvil
in is not deep, but, whether deep
%. shallow, il is the groundwork Of
est dark shell showing underneath th
ank gives il its beauty. The mosaic wo
in for the frames Is done individual
irst by the peasants also. 1t 10 work Il
" takes a long time and much pail
= :. | New York Sun