AMBER; TRADE VARIETIES 549 



a piece of amber, approximating as closely as possible to the form of this object, should be 

 chosen. The form of the pieces of rough amber is thus of the utmost importance, and the 

 preliminai-y classification of the rough material is based on this character. The material 

 thus sorted is then again classified according to size and quality, and irrespective of clearness 

 or turbidity, these features being of little importance from this point of view. Amber of an 

 unusual colour is not recognised in the trade classification, being too rai'e to possess any 

 commercial significance. The classification given below applies specially to massive amber? 

 but shelly, osseous, and other varieties of amber are sorted for trade purposes in the same 

 way. 



1. Tiles (Gei'man, Fliessen).--Tah\Aa.v pieces, about three times as long as they are 



broad, and with a thickness of at least 75 millimetres and a length of 25 centimetres. The 



most valuable are those in which the two surfaces are approximately parallel. They are 



known as " work-stone-tiles " (German, Arbeitssteinfliessen), and are sorted into five 



classes : 



" Work-stone-tiles," No. 1, with 10 to 12 pieces to the kilogram. 

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Pieces which lack the regular, rectangular form of " work-stone-tiles " are known as " oi'dinary 

 tiles." Of these, ten trade varieties are distinguished : No. is the first variety, and consists 

 of material of which 2 or 3 pieces are required to make up the kilogram, while in variety 

 No. 7, 360 pieces go to the kilogram. " Tiles " are used for the manufacture of smokers 

 requisites, such as cigar-holders, mouthpieces for the same, and so forth. 



The No. 1 variety of " ordinary tiles " fetches £1 2s. per kilogram, while the price of 

 the No. 7 variety (the smallest pieces) is 9s. per kilogram. Variety No. is so rarely met 

 with that it can scarcely be considered as an ordinary trade variety. The specially selected 

 " work-stone-tiles " are worth more than the " ordinary tiles." The price of varieties 

 Nos. 1 and 2 is 33| per cent, higher, that of No. 3, 50 per cent., that of No. 4, 25 per cent., 

 and that of No. 5, 10 per cent, higher. 



2. Plates (German, Flatten). — Pieces of amber of the same tabular form, but thinner 

 than " tiles." Seven trade varieties are distinguished : 



No. "plates.'' With an area of from 40 to 60 square centimetres. 



„ „ (about 50 pieces to the 



kilogram). 



"Polangen plates." Still smaller than No. 4. 



" Plates " also are used mainly in the manufacture of smokers' requisites, especially for 

 cio-arette-holders, but also for ornamental articles ; for example, "manelles," "horse-corals," 

 crosses, and bells on the tesbih (I'osaries) of Mohammedans. 



3. Grourid-sfone (German, Bodenstein). — Large, rounded pieces of amber of good 



colour. 



1. " Fine ground-stone " . . .10 pieces to the kilogram. 



. 2. ." Ordinary ground-stone " . 14 to 16 „ „ 



"Fine ground-stone" costs £%, and "ordinary ground-stone" 25s. per kilogram. 



