Evening star., 1900-07-07
MANILA WOMEN LAPIDARlES
THEY ARE SKILLFUL IN THE MAX
ING OF PRETTY THINGS.
Only Native Gems Are Utilized-SOme
Striking Examples of
Their Art.


From the Scientific American.
The lapidaries of our new oriental pos
sessions the dark-skinned women of
the Tagal tribe. VINO have acquired their
skill and ingenuity in gem-setting from the
aruhcers Of Spain and Morocco. In deli
cacy of design and execution their work far
surpaSseS that of their masters Much has
been written about the coral jewelry of
Manila (pink coral necklaces, white coral
pendants and red coral rosaries like drops
of blood, but the impression should not
be gained that the lapidary art of the Ma
nila women jewellers is confined to coral
products. Pretty and characteristic as
these objects of adornment are, they do not
compare in value and beauty with the
chains of woven gold, filigrees of silver and
pendants of pearls and garnets made by
these women. Diamonds. amethysts and
similar stones are not so often met with in
the native jewelry of Manila: but their
rarity is not known, even though they are
almost entirely lacking in the trinkets of
| the natives and foreigners in Manila
Only native gems and minerals, such as
garnets, black, yellow and white pearls,
coral. mother-of-pearl and gold and silver
are utilized by the women jewelers.. All of
these island gems are found in the small
shops of the native jewellers, and the man
ner in which they are worked up into orna-
ments of striking beauty and value attracts
the attention of an American. recent
Importation of many of these most popular
Manila ornaments gives promise of their
wide introduction into the United States.
The specimens brought to this country, all
the work of women artificers, show that
the native lapidaries combine the ability of
the Moorish gem worker with the patience
of the Chinese and Japanese craftsman.
Among these specimens are beautiful and
exquisite earrings, necklaces, bracelets,
chains, buttons. pins and brooches Of every
conceivable design The chains made
of the most delicate strands of almost pure
native gold. braided and woven like piece
of Manila. hemp rope, with even the tiny
threads initiated to perfection. So delicate
and dainty is such chain that one can
hardly believe it possible that the women
lapidaries beat, out the rough gold and
draw the gold wire without any of the
modern implements used by western gold
beaterS
Hatpins of pure gold are made in the
form Of miniature Malay creeSeS with water
lily leaves for handles. BreaStpinS and
stickpins are often thickly studded with
stones. Silver and gold hlgree work. lace
like in appearance, is made with rare skill:
other products of the women jewelers. are
necklaces and pendants of dainty gold
ferns, flexible and yet strong, with every
stem and vine vefned exactly as in the or
iginal plant Knives brooches and pocket
books cut out of mother-of-p pearl, and
thickiy studded with green and red garnets.
Black and white pearls are set in gold but
tons and earrings. Like most of the orien-
tai craftsmen. the Manila lapidarieS are eX
bine with their other Work with excellent
taste. The. necklace may be of gold. enam
eied blue. and set with gray pearls. or with
black enamel studded with red and green
garnets. Few of these jewels are limitations.
Nearly every woman lapidary strives To
give an individuality TO her work, and her
products are proof OF he~ success. The
treasures Of one shop can rarely be dupli-
Gated in those of another Sometimes the
conception may be a little crude and lack
ing in taste: but where there is one such
example there will be a dozen that are per
feet in every particular. The harmonizins
of colors and combining Of stones and met
ais show an instructive taste among these
iIliterate Manila iapii2ries which is difficult
to explain. From the standpoint of the
American ;.weler there Is much in the way
of originality and perfection Of design and
execution that can be learned from these
women of the orient. In all the art they
display. something of the dark, sinister
Moorish is always suggested, something
that is felt IN the abundance Of Malay
creeses. green and golden alligators. dra-
oo,S and knives az every design and color