The sun., 1905-09-10
ORNAMENTS MADE OF COAL.
Turned Out by Japanese With the Crudest
Machinery.

The Queerest jewelry / ever saw is in
Japan, which country l had occasion to
visit last year, writes a correspondent of
the Jeuelers' Circular Weekly. One day
! was offered a chance to purchase cane
of hard wood, neatly polished and finished,
with the top portion set of with some black
glisteninR gems. l examined the glossy
black specimens and discovered them to
be coal. But the finishing effect and the
general design presented a beautiful ap-
pearance, and bought the cane.
After that looked about for some OF
the shops in Nagasaki where the thrifty
Japanese jewelers. produce ornaments from
the coal heaps Of the wharves. 1t appears
that it is Q practise of the Japanese coal
workers to save out certain samples OF the
coal which are suitable to dispose of to the
metal workers. In the course OF the day
two or three pieces OF hard, brittle, glossy
black coal are selected.
The agent OF the ieweler appears on the
scene on his regular trip. and for few
pennies buys up the chosen portions These
pieces Of coal are bundled together in a
sack and taken to the shops Of the "blacll
diamond" workers. SO called This is the
term applied by the American tourist to
the busy little Japanese workers in metals
and GOALS. OF course the jewelry thus
made is exceedingly inexpensive.
The Japanese metal work ker does not ex-
pect to make more than half a dollar
day He usually makes cane heads, UNI
brella heads artistic. corkscrews. neck
gems, rings chains and trinkets in general
for the public. Often these are made at
his home in his little shop, Then, again,
l found several of the workmen engaged
together with boss to direct them. 1t is
customary for one or more mem bers OF the
working party to solicit custom Frequently.
In fact some one is out all the time with
samples.
the article is not difficult as practised by. the
Japanese. There is base made by grind.
ing and Gouging. and this base Is furnished
with q surfacing of cement stun bearing
the properties OF the elasticity of rubber.
Into this rubber-cement composition the
particles of coal are pressed and the comPo-
sition is allowed to harden. When hard,
perfect grip is obtained on the coal, and the
pieces will not work loose.
One workman devoted his spare time for
weeks in modelling about ten inches Of links.
A tourist purchased it for 81, The nks
were made on the plan that the ingenious
boy makes the links of a chain from solid
stick Of wood. These black links were given
a good polish by being dipped in some ma
tive polishing solu ton for coating, caus-
ing the chain to shine brilliantly.
The natives do a great deal OF grinding
and rubbing when finishing the coal jewels,
The more friction applied, the richer is the
gloas. One may find several patterns OF
emery wheels buffing wheels and other
types Of wheels in use. The workmen OF
this country are not nearly as up to date
with their mechanical devices as are the
soldiers at the front with their modern
equipments OF war.
found many jewellers and other artisans
employed with the crude apparatus used
generations ago. The artisan calculates TO
have a boy or two about the place TO- turn
the cranks for grinding and polishing
wheels Now and then l saw foot power
used. Occasionally l discovered that an
engine or electric motor had been installed
and mower secured from these sources,
hut the great bulk Of this kind of work is
done by manual exertion.
No doubt after the war there will he IN
novations in the mechanical work In the
ehops of the artisans, and those OF the coal
workers will he supplied with up to date
contrivances, but at present they are very
In speaking with one of the proprietors
NJ a black diamond shop | was told that
the very hardest of high grade Goals should
he selected for this ornamental work. The
n;eces should he ground down to the proper
FORM and should be literally polished
Then comes the setting OF the Goals or piece
of coal In position on the article, followed
bv a final glossing by the use OF OILS and
soft cloth. This final polish is usually done
by hand. Then the jewels are ready for
the market.