CHAPTER XXII. 



IMITATION'S AND TESTS FOR DETECTING THEM. 



LIKE many other things of value, pearls have been 

 imitated. Some of the imitations are very natu- 

 ural in appearance, while others are very imper- 

 fect representations. For many years the Chinese have 

 produced artificial pearl objects by introducing small flat 

 metallic figures between the shell and mantle of the 

 Dipsus plicatus, a large river mussel of that country. 

 The figures are inserted carefully so as not to injure the 

 mussel, which is returned to the water. 



After a few months the mussels are again taken from 

 the water and the figures are found to be covered with 

 pearly nacre and are attached to the shell. They are 

 then removed and used as ornaments. 



The Japanese are more progressive in the art. They 

 insert small porcelain domes inside of the Avicula Mar- 

 tensii, or Oriental pearl oyster. After four years the 

 oysters are taken from the water and opened and the 

 culture pearls and the natural pearls are gathered from 

 them. 



Through the courtesy of Mr. Fred Bahni, of Peoria, 

 Illinois, a view of a Japanese culture pearl is shown in 

 Fig. 47. 



The low domes become covered with layers of pearly 



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