Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-03
PRECIOUS JEWELS
OF HUMBLE ORIGIN
Pearls for Buttons and Queens Or
naments = An Important Amer
ican Industry-Mystic Proper
ties of the Turquoise

TTNHII pearl. it seems, is no more real stone
l. than that Jewel of which Shakespeare
wrote in re the uses of adversely:
Sweet are the uses of adversely.
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous
Wears yet precious jewel in his head
There is to be found in the heads of old and
great toads," wrote a contemporary of the
bard "a stone they call borax or steon, which,
being used as rings, give forewarnng against
venom" Another writer furnishes the follow
ing Bit "a toadstone, called crepauda touch
ing any part envenomed by the bite of rat,
wasp, spider other venomous beast, ceases
the pain and swelling thereof" Preserved in
some collection or other is a silver ring of
the 18th century, in which one of these toad
stones is set The stone was supposed to
sweat and change color when poison was in
its proximity"
The pearl likewise is not real stone. 1t
is'a growth of mineral matter, mainly calcium
carbonate, formed around a nucleus, consisting
of minute grain of sand or other hard OBJ
ject, or perhaps a parasite, which serves as
a centre of irritation inside of the shell of an
oyster, and which gradually becomes encysted
or enCased in successive layers of carbonate
of lime secreted by the physiological processes
of the living animal. Not all oysters however
have this power of producing pearls. There
are oysters and oysters, even among the pearl
producers. The pearls sometimes found in
ordinary oysters are dull, shapeless and usually
without value.
Pearls of Great Price
Nor oysters only. Pearls may be found in
almost any bivalve and some of the most
valuable are taken from the shells of fresh
water mussels. The pearl fisheries of the
Mississippi are of much greater Importance
than is generally supposed. In the United
States the fresh water pearl industry dates
back to 1857, when the Queen Pearl" was
found in New Jersey. 1t was sold to the
Empress Eugenie for s25OO, and is said to be
worth now four times that sum. So the pearl
may be said to have invaded the ranks of
jewels. Neither a gem nor "a jewel in the
strict meaning of the terms, the pearl is.
nevertheless, one of the most important mem
bers of the group which in common language
embraces gems, jewels and precious stones.
In all probability 1t has become more popu.
lar and is used more universally than any of
the other stones. It's value varies from few
cents to thousands of dollars, according to the
size, shape, ustre and color. The barouue or
Irregular shaped pearl, is found in very large
quantities in the Mississippi River and its
tributaries. 1t is not only used in the United
large quantities
The American pearl, which is found in but
ton, round and pear shape, also has a wide
range of value, which, like the baroque pearl
will vary with size, color quality and shape
The round or ball pearl is naturally most val
liable particularly with smooth skin and an
irdescent lustre, These frequently go into
necklaces and have been known 10 bring in
the market as high as $4,000 for Il single
pearl. The button shape is also highly re.
garded but this also depends on the size
shape, skin, lustre and color for value This
pearl has the effect Of half ball pearl, giving
the appearance of pearl twice it's weight
the back being usually fiat. These are gener-
ally used in large sunbursts, brooches and
rings. The pear shape pearl is used mostly
for earrings, scarfpins and pendent pieces.
The word Orient" employed among pearI
merchants, is poetic trops based upon the
idea of sunrise, and refers to the peculiar iri-
descence of the pearl. A London expert de.
clares that the best way of dOctorlng a pearl
is simply to wear 1t, He says: "A pearl neck
lace that is worn one twice a month will
go on for half century and show no change.
Lock that same necklace up for 20 years and
all the glow and lustre are gone and the
pearls look like wax beads" This suscepti.
bility to outside influences is partly responsi.
ble' doubtless, for the belief in mystic con
neetion between the pearl and the fortunes of
the wearer,
The old Persians put the pearl above all
other gems They had legend to the effect
that pearls were formed of erystallized rain
drops which had chanced 10 fall into the shells
OF oysters as the animals lay airing themselves
on the beach. One OF the most famous pearls |
In history was found by negro boy at Pan. /
anna IN the days OF the Spanish conquests II /
was pear-shaped and as large as the largest
pigeons esq Il was presented 70 Philip Il /
and became known az Ia Pelegrina" ana was