Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 October 1892 — WONDERS OF OLD. [ARTICLE]

WONDERS OF OLD.

A hunting horn in Limoges enamel, made in 1530, and which is believed to have formerly belonged to Horace Walpole, was sold recently for 6,000 guineas. Like some of the rings of to-day, the signets worn by the Israelites bore inscriptions. The breastplates of the high priests were set with twelve precious stones, each one representing a tribe of the children of Israel. The oldest armchair in the world is the throne once used by Queen Hatafu, who flourished in Egypt 1600 B. C. It is made of ebony, beautifully carved, and is so hardened with age as to appear to be carved from black marble. Black glass was once used for mirrorq, as well as transparent glass with some black substance on the back. It is related that the Spaniards found mirrors of polished bli»ck stone, both convex and concave, among the natives of South America. Glass, as far as research has been able to determine, was in use 2,000 years before the birth of Christ, and was even then not in its infancy. In the state collection at the British museum there is the head of a lion molded in glass bearing the name of an Egyptian king of the eleventh dynasty. The British museum possesses a cup of almost fabulous value. It is of gold and enamel, is adorned with subjects from the life of St. Agnes, and cost MO,OOO. Tbe cup derives moat of its interest and value from the fact that it was given to Charles VT. of France in 1391, by his uncle, Jean, duke of Berri.

A complete suit of knightly armor contained the helmet, the cuirass for breast, epaulieres for shoulders,bras-' sarts, upper arms;coudiercs. elbows; avant bras, lower arms; gauntlets, gloves; faudes tor flanks; haubergeons, a quilted surcoat; cuissarts, thigh pieces; genouiliieres, knee guards; grevieres, leg pieces; solerets, shoes and spurs. IT/itnoi* wawn Mncaea n *l uj riuuior, "cni rt'pi nieu loe