Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1883 — Corals and Shells. [ARTICLE]

Corals and Shells.

Corals are always more or less in fashion. A certain fossil coral, a favorstuds, and brings high prices. Another kind is made up into fancy ornaments of all, kinds, but the red and black corals are the most valuable. The best fisheries are along the coasts of Tunis, Algeria and Morocco, from* two to ten miles from shore and thirty to 150 fathoms. Good coral is also common at Naples, near Leghorn and Genoa, and on various parts of the sea, as Sardinia, Corsica, Catalonia, Provence, etc. It ranges in color from pure white through all the shades of pink, red and crimson, but the rose pink is most valued. For a long time Marseilles was the market, but now Italy is the great center of the trade, the greater number* of boats hailing from Torre del Greco, while outside persons are forced to pay a heavy tax. The vessels are schooners,, lateen rigged from three to fourteen tons. Large nets are used, which, during the months between March and October, are dragged dredge-like over the rocks. A large crew will haul in in a season from 600 to 900 pounds. To prevent the destruction of the industry the reef is divided into ten parts, only one being worked a year, and by the time the tenth is reached the first is overgrown again with a new growth. In 1873 the Algerian fisheries alone, employing 3,150 men, realized half a million dollars. The choice grades are always valuable, the finest tints bringing over $5 per ounce, while the small pieces, used for necklaces and called collette, are worth only $1.50 per ounce. The large oval pieces are sent to China, where they are used as buttons of office by the mandarins. Conch shell is somawhat similar to coral, and sets of it have been sold as high as S3OO. The tint is exquisite, but liable to fade when exposed to the sun. It ib made from the great conch, common in Southern Florida and the West Indies. The shells are imported into Europe by thousands and cut up into studs, sleeve-buttons and various articles of ornament. The conch shell is used by the cameo cutter. Rome and Paris are Ihe principal seats of the trade, and immense numbers of shell cameos are imported by England and America and mounted in rings, pins, etc. The one showing a pale color on an orange ground is much used. In Paris 3(H),0U0 helmet shells are used in one year, valued at $40,000; of the bull’s mouth, 80,000 averaging a little over a shilling apiece, equal to $34,000,

Tho extent to which shells are used in decoration is enormous. The stroinbus, triton, dolium, fusus and murex we mount as monumental vessels, while the mactra is used as a spoon. The gigantic tridacna is mounted and used as a baptismal font, and brings SSOO or S6OO. Among the Indians the pecten, naliotis and dentalium are used as ornaments. The scallop (pecten jacobicus) is used as a decoration of honor, while the chank is a Hindoo bangle. What is called shell-flower jewelry has a great sale in the South. The sets are all in the shape of flowers, and made up entirely of a minute and beautifully tinted mollusk, which are bored and fixed onto silver wire. —Philadelphia Times.