MECHANICS AXD USEFUL ARTS. 13 



fifty-three thousand ! No words can do justice to the richness of these 

 des'igns, in which leaves, flowers, and the most graceful arabesques are 

 combined with admirable taste ; while, in point of execution, this un- 

 paralleled mosaic surpasses all the inlayings that have ever been pro- 

 duced. 



In the Russian Department, shawls of great value were exhibited ; on 

 one, in particular, the duty alone, to be paid in case the shawl was not 

 returned to Russia, was 488. A fur robe was also exhibited, made 

 from the skins of 1700 black foxes, only one piece of pure black, of 

 small size, being taken from each skin. Its estimated value was sixteen 

 thousand dollars. Two jasper vases, three feet six inches high, the 

 property of the Emperor, were valued at 2000 apiece. The work- 

 manship upon them, which was of the most exquisite character, alone 

 cost 700. A huge candelabrum, representing an event in Russian his- 

 tory, was sent from Moscow, and contained 2 cwt. of silver. 



Of grotesque objects, a collection of stuffed animals, (frogs, dogs and 

 cats,) contributed by M. Ploucquet, of Stuttgard, was most ludicrous. 

 A frog, for instance, was represented shaving his companion, another 

 is walking with an umbrella ; while a party of cats, life size, are rep- 

 resented as drinking tea, while another cat plays upon the piano. 



Specimens of the celebrated Toledo swords were exhibited from 

 Spain. The remarkable elasticity of one, perfectly straight when 

 drawn, was tested by a circular scabbard, which actually rolls up the 

 blade as it receives it. 



In the Zollverein Department was exhibited a set of Chessmen and 

 Board in the Renaissance style, the squares of the board alternately 

 tortoise-shell and mother-of-pearl. The framework of the stand is silver 

 and gold, inlaid with rubies ; each corner, the bust of an angel, the 

 wings in silver and blue ; the sides are ornamented with silver swans, 

 and festoons of gold and rubies. The chessmen are in gold and silver : 

 the principal figures are costume portraits of Emperors of Germany and 

 Kings of France their retinue, knights, and castles mounted on ele- 

 phants, and men-at-arms for the pawns. Rubies are profusely intro- 

 duced upon the dresses of the principal personages and the pedestals. 



A substitute for paper hanging and paper staining was shown in 

 Clark's " Seamless Flock Decoration," made from the woollen flocks ob- 

 tained in the cloth-finishing process ; and, being manufactured on the 

 walls of the apartment, may be extended over any given space without 

 seam, jointing, or repetition, such as are unavoidable in paper staining. 



A Berlin Wool Carpet, executed by 150 ladies of Great Britain, and 

 designed for presentation to the Queen. The dimensions of this carpet 

 are thirty feet in length, and twenty in breadth. The pattern, origi- 

 nally designed and painted by the artists, was subdivided into detached 

 squares, which were worked by different ladies ; and, on their com- 

 pletion, the squares were reunited, so as to complete the design. In 

 the pattern, which consists partly of geometrical, and partly of floral 

 forms, heraldic emblems are also introduced. The initials of the 

 executants are ornamentally arranged, so as to form the external bor- 

 der. The whole design is connected by wreaths or bands of leaves and 



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