The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-03-25
PER MARLBOROUGH, Y,

'''"o vi H'Hutl-"oo'i, VI vi snowy "lite
feathers with silken tassels and ivory
sticks, that are a sculptor's dream, and
there are others of colorcd silk, bam-
boo, and oil paper Hundreds at 4
time arc displayed, and hundreds are
daily packed and shipped away for the
foreign market
Upon the mammoth folding screens
manufactured in so large quantities,
landscapes and scenes of Chinese gar
denS with bridges and boats are repre-
scntcd, While the borders are brilliant
with glowing flowers. The lacquer
work screens, which show large single
figures upon Il black ground, are strik-
ingly effective; also the chess tables
with movable tops, and spacings of al
ternated lacquer and mothcr-ofpcarl.
The city of Suchau is noted for it's
rich, bronze-colored productions in lac
quer. They command very high
prices, but the Nankin ware is consid-
cred the finest in the empire, and the
Canton shops abound with specimens.
1t is said that to finish a handsome
piece OF work requires six months.
The production is so exquisite that the
finger can feel no roughncss in passing
over the hard, mirror-like polish, and
the inlaid mother-ot pearl seems to be
a part of the ware itself \ kind of
light fir is the wood from which it is
made, and on the river above Canton
great RATS of the lumber floating down
with numbers of persons upon them,
may be seen, as npon the St Lawrence
This lacquer-ware is packed so secure
| ly that it can go around the world in
safety. Each piece is carefully
wrapped in soft delicate paper clippings,
to prevent moving or rubbing; then
| the entire box is vanished. and long,
coarse strips of paper are pasted out
side.
The antique porcelain is found in
many curious and graceful shapes, the
ears of a number of the vases being
formed of animals or birds clinging to
the sides. \ great many are of bright
yellow, relieved by scarlet or blnc
flowers, or of an irridcscent hue with
seams and ribs running in Il thousand
different ways. These are very costly.
The ware is scmi-tranSparcnt. and the
old Jars are purpoScly V cracked all over
the surface The Chinese affirm sadly
that the secret of old porcelain is lost,
and that the art has greatly degencr-
ated, the ancient blue used being much
deeper and finer than that employed at
the present day.
Antique porcelain curiosities in the
form Of sharp claws snow white. or long
fingered ladies, or small figures of lions
or dragons, are much in demand, and
most Chinese halls and gardens are e.
namentcd with porcelain seats in gold
and green or white and blue
Millions of sets of the Canton stone
china are exported for foreign use, but
the costly and handsome gilt-edgc pat
tern in black and white. called the Nam
kin china, is less known. The dessert !
and tea-scts in this ware are very bc,u- j.
tfnl; likewise the pieces in black china
ware, ornamented with gold, and the |
crackle china, which has the appear
anca of veined marble.
The rose porcelain, thin as an egg
shell, is very rare and Of 4 delicate rose
pink, but the pure white transparent |
porcelain is equally priced. 1t is sup
posed that the exquisite brilliancy of
this white ware is due to an incombus-
tible stone or earth used in its manu-
lacture.
The Chinese introduced 50 lovely and
vivid colorIng into their porcelains
azure blue, green, scarlet, violent, vel
iow-that they have reached a degree
of perfection acknowledged by every
other nation. Extreme care is "iven
to the execution of every detail Of he
work, and in the four hundred walled |
factories of kin-te-chin more than a
million workmcn are employed.
But possibly the most interesting
and curious department of Chinese
craftsmanship is that of the ivory cut
ters and workers. They are most
wonderful v class of artisans. AMI their
mode of carving is as profound secret
as it was six centuries ago. In no
place in the world can SO superb sets
of chessmen and checkers be found as
in Canton, and that which might sell
for thirty or forty dollars abroad may
be bought in Canton or Shanghai for
from five dollars to eight. Each piece
Is cut Win I different pattern, and they
are all so beautiful. so delicate. and so
wonderfully carved that one almost
hesitatcs to use them.
Ivory boats VIII every detail COM
plete: card-cascs with scenes of social
life eXquisitely reproduced upon their
sides; napkin rings and fans like finest
lacc-work, are some of the articles
prominently shown, while the red and
white ivory balls, one within the other,
each whole circumference minutelv
carved, never fail to excite admiration,
and exhibit to perfection the patient
labor of the Chinese - Tome .jOVrnai
The hunted stag hees for deer life