ECONOMIC PRODUCTS" EXHIBITED AT IRONMONGERS' HALL. 351 



Aswe wandered from room to room, glancing hastily at the dazzling splen- 

 dours of the olden time, in the shape of gold and silver plate, ivory carvings, 

 .-weapons of warfare, jewels, &c.,. our eyes, now and then, alighted upon 

 certain articles, or series of articles, having decided attractions for the 

 Technologist ; and a few of these specimens we think it desirable to notice. 



The mineral kingdom was represented by some of the rarer metals, as 

 platinum, aluminum," Titanic iron, &c. A case of aluminum, exhibited by 

 Messrs. Bell, Bros., was notable in the extreme; it included aluminum in 

 the ore (cryolite), also^in the Tform dfUars, Iw'ire^ahd "sheets, and likewise in 

 conjunction with copper as_an alloy ; bat the more remarkable feature of 

 the case was a splendid helmetin aluminum of "an antique pattern. 

 .*; ."Platinum in all its stages, native and manufactured, and neatly 

 arranged, was shown by the eminent assayists, Messrs Johnston and 

 Matthey ; and the visitors were thus enabled at one view to comprehend 

 the great chemical and electrical value of this metal. 



Messrs Mosely and Son contributed samples of Taranaki (New Zealand) 

 sand, or Titanic iron ore, with specimens of the steel and splendid cutlery 

 produced therefrom. Swedish iron in its various qualities, and the process 

 of copper urn-making in all its stages, from the round flat plate of copper 

 to the finished article, must complete our brief category of the mineral 

 specimens. 



Vegetable substances were very sparingly represented, with the ex^ 

 ception of a large table full of articles made from ebonite, the prepared 

 india-rubber of Messrs Silver. Submarine and other insulated telegraph 

 cables, batteries, baths, pencil-cases, knife-handles, bracelets, and a host 

 of other manufactures, all bore their silent yet significant testimony to 

 the suitability of this excellent material for an infinite variety of 

 purposes in the arts. We must also mention one large and solid slab 

 of ebonite, 8 feet X 3 feet X j inch in thickness. 



The animal products included a magnificent display of corals (coral- 

 lium rubrum), and a variety of horns, ivory carvings, &c. The corals 

 were especially deserving of attention, so rich was the display, and so 

 chaste and elegant were the ornaments manufactured therefrom. Red, 

 pink, and white coral were to be seen in most agreeable contrast. 



Not less remarkable and attractive to the Technologist, were two 

 splendid vases of rhinoceros horn, elegantly and elaborately carved ; 

 their pleasing and yellow translucency contrasting favourably with the 

 black buffalo horn stands on which they were mounted. Neither must 

 we omit to mention a singular and rather formidable collar of monkeys' 

 teeth, as worn by the Peruvian Indians in time of war ; and, as far as we 

 can judge, a very apt emblem of strife. To show the teeth, or gnash with 

 the teeth, are common emblematical expressions of rage ; and in selecting 

 the teeth of the chattering monkeys, the natives of Pizarro's Conquest have 

 chosen those of an animal which, above all other bipeds or quadrupeds, 

 exhibits its teeth to its enemies, and sometimes to its friends. If the 

 exhibition of this collar was intended to convey a moral to the friends 



