The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-28
MANlLA'S CLEVER WOMEN
As Lapidaries and Gem.Settcrs
They Are Unrivaled.
Fascinating Treasures Exhibited in
Their Gloomy and transformations
Shops-COmbination of Jewels mud
Precious y. tnIs That Would Charm
Princc-Somc Dazzling Ornaments

| One of the most interesting features o
Manila industrial life is the wonderful
skill and ingenuity of its lapidaries ant
gem-setters. who. strange to say. are thu
women Of the population, whose taste ant
| workmanship have far surpassed the pow
ers of the men.
He who has visited Spain and Morocco
must have remarked the superiority Of the
Spanish artifcer, who has taught all OF
the excellences of his craft TO the natives
of his colonies. In the case OF the Phil
| ippines the pupils have improved on the
teacher and their art has become famous
throughout the Far East.
The shops are small often mere dens
with a gloomy interior, which seems q
strange setting for the beautiful work.
Rents are high, and, what is worse, the
| Spanish system of taxation renders it i'm
prudent for shopkeeper TO display much
| stock. The customer enters, is disap-
| pointed at the meagre assortment
shown, and goes away irritated that he
address. Later in the day. he is invited
nay, urged-to repeat his visit. and II he
| refuses, he is inveigled by one mode or
| another. Should he still prove obduratc,
| the persistent, gentle little brown woman
calls on him, or waits patiently on the
steps OF his hotel, her wares in a locked
| box under her robosa. Such sparkle of
color and glitter or treasure, The broil-
ing sunshine sleeps the streets, and all
Manila quivers in the languor of the trop-
les. but the tiny shop is cool. Before the
wonders now exhibited one forgets TO re-
member the thermometer.
Among the treasures OF one OF these lit
tie shops are necklaces OF delicate pink
coral; balls for the decoration of grandees
CAPS; dainty statuettes OF coral with tie
body and limbs formed of the stem and its
branches; Tosaries with beads like drops
of blood: pendants OF pure white pearls,
lustrous and pear-shaped; chains OF pearls,
drop shaped ear-jewels. which the seller
assures one are the offspring of tears and
suffering; great yellow pearls. the favor
lite purchase of the Chinese merchant. and
costly strings Of pink pearls of peculiar
iridescense.
There are sets Of blood red cabochon gar
nets consisting OF earrings, pin and finger
ring and other sets of the orange-red va
riety, that emit light, in the dark like
flame Indeed the kinds of game, dis
played are bewilderlng. Silver iiligree set
with yellow garnets, mother of-pearl
drinking cups, with handles thickly COW
cred with pale-green garnets, nacre knife
handles that sparkle with the lightning of
carbuncIes: and small bowls OF opalescent
mother of-pearl that glow with their red
FIRE.
The saleswomsn is astute. Never think
that she does not note the surprise and ad-
miration of her visitors face. She turns
insinustingly. and says in her rich alto
voice: Very pretty; look you" One looks.
and is lost.
II does not seem possible that the work
she is showing you can be gold-only
gold-so fine and lacelike are the patterns.
There are a chain, a necklace, a chate-
laine, hatpin. and a brooch, all OF the
deepest yellow gold, from eighteen to
twenty-five carats and OF exquisite haudi-
work. The chain looks like long yellow
braid OF hair, tied at the clasp with true
lovers knot that IL may not unravel it
self The necklace is flexible. delicate
veined stem, from which branch pendants
Of the daintiest golden ferns. Anything
more graceful or artistic than this work
II would be difficult TO duplicate, except,
perhaps, In the goli smitheries Of Ceylon.
The chatelaine is composed OF solid ropes
of gold (e1act copies OF Manila hemp rope
even TO the threads), with clasps designed
like fishhooks. Tie hatpin is miniature
Malay creese, with water lily leaf for
a handle. and the brooch a golden alli-
gator or young csyman, the scalework be-
ing a most ingenious imitation of nature.
The sum of 15s Spanish pesetas f330.50.
gold) purchases this entire set Of five
pieces, less than would be asked for the
necklace alone in New York, London, or
Paris.
This woman has brought the crude gold
from the country, made her own alloys.
drawing out the gold wire and beating 1t
With hammer and anvil, following. step by
',tep, the most modern and scientific proc
esses Of metal smithing.
These metal workers are as sklllful with
silver as with gold. Marvellous bangles Of
chased silver, set with precious stones.
and brooches and pendants OF quaint de-
sign, all manifest the most thoughtful hui
man labor. One can have no idea OF how
much can be done with silver until he
has seen this profuson OF devices in which
IL is used.
Very likely the collection will contain
some exquisite breastpins and stickpins of
rubies, some lovely poDpy-red, others Of
deepest carmine like drops of frozen wine;
but the astonishing feature is the superb
taste and ingenuity which these women.
often illiterate and entirely unlettered,
and many jeweler whose
designs are monotonously conventional
might learn useful lesson from these
Philippine lapidaries.
Look you" says Concha again cher
name is Conception; dlminutized, Con-
cha). and she holds out necklace of gold
blue enameled, set with grey pearls. the
Of stone and setting perfect.
why not amethyst instead OF pearls, |
Concha2" one asks. but she shrugs her |
shoulders deprecatingly.
Amethyst looks vulgar with gold, Nj |
na," she answers.
Fewer rings are to be noticed, perhaps, |
than any other ornament, the betrothal |
rings being almost universally enameled
gold. but earrings, necklaces, bracelets, |
chains, buttons. small pins, and brooches |
are abundant
These lapidaries combine the ability of
the Moorish gem worker with the patience |
and originality of the Chinese and Japan
ese craftsman, because they are adept en- |
amelers, and sacrifice even design to color |
in this branch OF their work; and in all OF |
their jewelry daintiness and personality, |
altogether irresistibly attractive, are felt. |
The longer one looks the more he becomes |
convinced that the display before him is |
the expression of a mind, the outcome of |
a personal art and this belief is wholly |
satisfying, for, above all else, a jewel |
should be unique.-Manila Times.
MissOuri's Model Town. |
From the Kansas City Journal.)