■ — ■ 0^;^ 



MEDALIONS. 251 



WALKING STICKS OR CANES. 



Although there are numerous kinds of natural wood that are 

 both cheap and beautiful, and good enough for this purpose, yet 

 the caoutchouc whalebone has been deemed so well adapted to 

 this use on account of its toughness, hardness, and elasticity, 

 that it is the first article of the hard compounds of which the 

 .regular manufacture is commenced. These canes, which may 

 be afforded cheaper than canes made of the finer kinds of 

 wood, possess great advantages over them in point of lightness, 

 strength, durability, smoothness of surface, beauty and variety 

 of colors, and brightness of polish. 



MEERSCHAUMS. 



The caoutchouc compounds are well-adapted to the manufac- 

 ture of meerschaums. 



The caoutchouc enamel and ivory, when lined with porcelain 

 or metal, is suitable for the bowls, and the elastic compound and 

 whalebone are equally adapted for the tubes and stems of meer- 

 schaums. See plate , fig. 



MEDALIONS. 



Medalions are made of caoutchouc ivory and whalebone, in 

 exact imitation of bronze, both as to color and finish. These 

 medalions are light, and have the hardness of marble ; they are 

 less liable to injury in handling than either silver, gold, or 

 bronze, and are moulded with equal facility as plaster, after 

 which they are vulcanized. 



