i8 PEARLS AND PEARLING 



Another important feature of the American fresh- 

 water pearls is the great variety of tints and colors 

 found among them. This is not found in pearls of other 

 lands, excepting ocean fisheries of Lower California, Co- 

 lombia, Mexico and Panama, Gambier, and several un- 

 important fisheries. In our fresh-water pearls we find 

 sky blue, peacock green, lavender, ruby, maroon, cherry, 

 salmon, rose, bronze, purple, pink, gold, wine, gray, 

 green, silver, black, bright yellow, red, blue, lead and 

 brown. In fact, all shades of the rainbow are dupli- 

 cated in these gems. 



In addition to their color and sheen they are very irri- 

 descent. On account of their radiant layers some are 

 more lustrous than the Ceylon pearls, and many of the 

 lighter colored irridescent ones are nearly translucent. 



For a long time the American fresh-water pearls were 

 not fully appreciated by the European aristocracy and 

 had to be offered under the name of oriental pearls to 

 be sold ; but now they are offered under their real name 

 and stand on their own merits and reputation, and have 

 nearly reached their deserved economic position among 

 the gems of the world. Four rare American fresh-water 

 pearls are very artistically portrayed in this book. The 

 ball pearl, pear pearl, high-button pearl and low-button 

 are well displayed in the illustrations. 



