NEW ART JEWELRY.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 356, 5 March 1903, Page 3

NEW ART JEWELRY.

Curtofia® and Very Costly Pieces Bfad* by Master Workmen. Ravftval •« -Wondrxtal M«4n* Work of Bwmit—aaae T4m*>« fltapvlarlseA fey tbo Paria Stapoeitloa— V«At«reo of Work. A net» Sad in jewelry Has slowly been making its way to favor in recent years, and the Paris exposition brought it into something like popularity. Fortunately, the expense of the work and the fact that it appeals to the artistic taste more than to the cations of elegance generally current promises to keep the fashion from becoming fatally common, says the New York Sun. The Salique jewelry ia perhaps the finest example of this new work, which is, after all, old, for it works back to the wonderful metal work of renaissance times and makes the precious metals merely incidental. The exhibition of Rene Salique's work at the exposition was a revelation to the host who had known nothing about him. This work has been eagerly sought for in Europe for years past, but his prices are fabulous and he does not sell to dealers, but, works only on special orders, whicli it may be his whim to accept; so, up to the present time, his jewels hare been obtained only by royal personages or other illustrious patrons, and their number is not very great. C'astellani, in Rome, has had a reputation for work of the same gerieral order as Salique's, although he has achieved nothing to equal the Salique jewels, and a crowd of lesser lights have been following the same path with more or less success. Of course, the oentral idea of this jewelry is beauty and exclusiveness of design. The masters of tie craft, like Salique, often make the jewel, whatever it may be, with direct reference to the appearance and personality of -the woman who is to wear it, and this opens up an endless vista of suggestive and symbolic possibility. Then again the jewel may be made merely to carry out a conception in the mind of the artist, without reference to the future owner. Rare stones are introduced wherever the design requires their oolor, but very often <he semi-precious stones answer the artistic requirements better than the more costly jewels and are used by preference, without thought of the comparative cost. , If a patron is willing to put a crown's ransom of rubies into an order and Salique thinks pink topaz or lapis azuli accords better with his design, the buyer doesn't get the rubies. Moonstones are particular favorites with Salique and with many of his followers, because they lend themselves to symbolism and suggestion without detracting from the effect of the metal work and design. One of the moat remarkable pieces of this art jewelry ever turned out was a comb in a design of bats flying through the filtered light of moonstones. American designers are taking up The art jewel Idea, and a new era of extravagance in jewelry la evidently at hand. Gorgeous tiaras and stomachers of diamonds will not do now. My lady must have specially designed and eccentric jewelry of which there is no duplicate, which bears the signature of a master craftsman. Several of the New York jewelers brought home quantities of signed jewels in unusual design*, and have sold them rapidly. One ring for a man, labeled "The Heart of the Oak" and signed by a famous Prenoh workman, was a particularly good specimen, although it hadn't a hint of a precious stone about it, The ring was wrought in semblance of bark, and bore a strange, satyrlike head, that at first glance looked merely like the gnarled knot on a limb of a tree. One Chicago woman has taken up this art jewel craft with immense sue* cess, and has orders so far in advance that she says it will be impossible for her to promise anything before 1003|

Troiuen for a Ij«s1«m Man, "I have an aunt, a dear old »ou\ who does the most remarkable things in the name of cbarity,".,§aid a Phil"She always has sqjnc Starving family to attend to. She Would be quite at a loss without a starving family. • Sometimes I know she is dreadfully imposed upon, but you couldn't convince her of that. One day last week she came to me and said: 'Nephew, have you an old pair of trousers you don't want?* 'What do you want a pair of trousers for?' I asked. 'To give to a poor man who hasn't any legs, 1 she replied. It wns all I could do to keep from laughing in her face, but I- controlled myself and said: 'Why, yes; I can let you have an old pair of trousers, and ivn old pair of shoes, too!' Even then the absurdity of it. didn't strike her. 'Oh, you are so good!' she exclaimed. And she went away with Ihe trousers and shoes for the poor man who didn't have any legs."—Philadelphia Record. Cat's Pondnpas for a Rabbit. The liuiest of rabbite wandered into the yard of a Denver womfin recently, and when the family cat, a notable fighter, bore down upon the little bunch of fur the onlookers expected to see it torn to pieces. Not so, howover. Thomas looked It over, smelled it over, licked it over, and then led it to a snug retreat behind the kite-hen stove. According to the cat's mistress, he taught the lit tile creature to drink milk and even eat meat, and the two became inseparable. But bunnie was evidently killed by kindness, for.he sickened and died, since which time Thomas has be»>,i despondent and has shown little interest in his food.