Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-08-03

a uiliculs Task That Calls For
Skill and Judgment.
CORDED ON SURGEONS SILK.

the Gems onO1io e"o ~N'"s Se~N-
r,cry uow aud then a story is print
80 .,houi the loSS OF valuable string
..f p.arls through the breaking OF the
.,rI ON which they were hung and
choir Shipping OF aud scattering over
,h, noor or sidewalk. Those who
t,ov anything about the stringing OF
nearls. however. always read these
,sl..< with incredulity. because nova
.,,vs as general thing, only false
re.rrs or those OF small price are
strung without knot being tied be-
tween each II them. so that IL the
cord breaks no more than one can fan
90.
Z, * common belief that because Of
,h.ir great value pearls are strung on
something durable. like catgut or wire.
As "a matter of fact such material is
never employed. There Is no beauty
a. "a string Of pearls that looks why
or sin. II must be flexible TO the
highest degree. otherwise all its grace
fu eject will be lost. Up TO the time
Of the Introduction OF surgeons silk
for pearl Stringing nothing had been
found that would absolutely meet the
requirements OF strength and flexi-
bluy.
That the most valuable pearls are to-
day strung on cords OF surgeons silk
is due 20 the suggestion of a woman
employee of New York jewelry
house.
Surgeons siik-the thread that is
used FOR sewing up cuts and wounds
is a soft, round strand OF pure white
silk which is woven, not twisted. The
weave when viewed under Il magui-
fyiug glass. closely resembles that Of
tine silk braid and is capable OF only
small degree OF expansion. This
fhrcad is produced In several DAM
etcrs or grades. which makes il all the
more desirable for pearl stringing.
These are numbered instead of being
iettercd like ordinary sewing silk and
are wound on small cards like darninc
cotton.
When the young woman's idea was
first adopted IL seemed as though II
would prove impracticable owing 20
the quantity OF surgeons silk manu-
featured being insufficient TO meet the
new demands from the jewellers. II
was also very expensive. But the idea
was such good one and the surgeons
silk was 50 nuch superior to anything
ever tried before that in time il was
found possible TO secure IL I'm sufficient
quantities and at wholesale prices.
The principal safeguard against loss.
however. Is in the method Of string.
ins. I'm intricate system OF knotfing
The thread between each pearl X EN-.
ployed. This prevents the escape OF
more than one jewel should the thread
break. This knotting Is done with
fweczers and Is n task that requires
great skill. There must be no insight
iy gaps between the knots and the
pearls. and the whole when finished
muSt be immaculate I'm its whiteness.
The tiny knots instead OF detracting
from the beauty OF the necklace en-
lance il. FOR they look like seed pearls
alternating with the larger ones. Knot
ting lenethens the necklace also aud
IS often rcSorted 10 for that purpose.
When strand OF certain length IS
desired and the number OF large pearls
Is NOT sufficient Imitation pearls OF the
exact size and color are often Substi-
tuted. Some OF these limitations will
deceive the eye OF any but the most
expert
IL often happens that the largest
pearls have the smallest holes drilled
through them, for every grain that is
taken from the pearl reduces IL in
weight In such cases. however, the
risk OF the cord breaking is increased
owing 10 the slenderness OF the thread
ana the sharp edges OF the pearls cut
ting through it quickly.
Stringing pearls is never done with
needle. y needle is not yielding
enough 10 pass through very small
holes. and the doubling OF its diameter
al the eye makes its use impracticable.
therefore the end OF the thread is
Sharpened 20 very fine point. which
Is waNed Stit1y enough TO be used ex-
actly as needle would he
ordinarily pearl stringlng is me.
chan'cally difficult and also requires
taste and Judgment The pearls, may
nave 10 be rearranged in order TO i'm
prove their general appearance. in
tue laying ont OF collarets especially
great deal OF skill is required. In
TIE first place. the collaret must fit
exactly, This seems comparatively
easy but il is not \ pattern is al
ways fitted beforehand. but il is rare
" The case that the result is satisfac-
tory the first time. Some necks re-
quire straight collars and Others
slightly curved. The same care is Civ
eh 10 the iitIing of a colaret MS 10 the
set OF an expensive gown. and il has
10 he tried on and changed and ad-
JuSted as many times.
DlviderS are used to gauge the exact
position in which the vertical diamond
pars that support the strands OF pearls
should he placed Endless care and
Judgment may be given TO laying out
lhe pattern for one OF these baubles
una getting the measurements absO-
'alely exact. but when Il comes to be
"''ed there Is sure To be trouble. II
may be too tight Mt the bottom and
100 loose Mt the top. or perhaps the
mus may not even meet at all.-Thad-
geus $ Dayton in Chicago Record
Herald.