354 GOODYEAR ON GUM-ELASTIC. 



made of wood the lids warp, and it is very difficult to keep 

 them on ; metal boxes corrode ; glass and china are heavy and 

 brittle, and have the same defect as the wood, from the loose- 

 ness of the lids. Gum-elastic whalebone is recommended for 

 this use, for the reason that it is not injured by hot water, will 

 not warp like wood or corrode like metal, will not break like 

 china or glass, and admits of the box being made water-tight 

 by screwing on the lid. 



DRESSING BOXES. 



Superior boxes of this sort may be cheaply manufactured from 

 caoutchouc ivory, instead of fine wood, and when it is desired 

 they can be made with a soft surface of artificial gum-elastic 

 upon the ivory, to make them resemble such as have commonly 

 been covered with morocco. 



PORTABLE DESKS 



Are manufactured upon forms or in moulds of caoutchouc whale- 

 bone. On account of the lightness, hardness, and strength of this 

 material, it has the same general recommendations for portable 

 desks, that it has for the shaving and dressing boxes before 

 described. 



POCKET INKSTANDS. 



A useful and curious pocket inkstand is manufactured of 

 gum-elastic, with a gum-elastic ivory screw stopper and valve. 

 See plate , fig. . 



