120 HOME AND GARDEN 



with " Bevi molto," or some such encouraging legend ; 

 tall hand-lamps of ancient pattern with double handles, 

 and on the top the little pool for oil, with one or more 

 lips for wicks. Here and there an old majolica drug- 

 pot ; some decorated with a free arabesque only, but 

 most with the addition of the arms of the family 

 to whose private pharmacy they once belonged, also 

 the name of the drug or preparation ; all painted with 

 the most delightful freedom and the truest decorative 

 feeling both for form and colour. 



The illustrations show a few pieces of embossed 

 and chased work in silver, inlay, and embroidery. A 

 necklace of blue Egyptian mummy-beads is shown in 

 the upper picture, because the stringing of the beads 

 was quite one of the most fidgety and difficult pieces 

 of work I ever undertook; the only thing about it 

 the workshop actually made was the heavy httle gold 

 beads that show three together at the upper angles 

 of the squares. The black stand holding a silver bowl 

 is also one of the usual Oriental ones, not made at 

 home. 



The small black figure in the same picture is 

 PIGOT, the tutelary divinity of the workshop. " By 

 the eyes of Pigot" is the most solemn and binding 

 asseveration that can be uttered within its walls. 

 Indeed it was from hearing this form of words used 

 frequently by a friend that the idea of the personality 

 of Pigot arose in my mind, and that his form took 

 shape. His eyes, bland, passionless, mildly benevolent, 



