THE CHANK BANGLE INDUSTRY. 
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cherry and Karikal ; it is possible that these in part are fished in British waters and 
surreptitiously carried to French territory owing to the rule in force in Tanjore and 
South Arcot to confiscate all undersized shells brought in for sale to Government. 
The price of these French shells rules usually from Rs. 20 to Rs. 25 per 1000 less than 
for shells fished off the British districts, owing to the larger proportion of small sizes 
present. 
10. Duani .— These shells are fished off the Travancore coast. They are large 
and of excellent quality. They come packed in cad j an mats, the large separated 
from the small. The former fetch from Rs. 14 to Rs. 18 per 100 according to size, 
the smaller Rs. 10 to Rs. 12 per 100. The larger run 100 to a bag — the smaller 200 to 
250 per bag. The total quantity imported into Calcutta seldom exceeds 100 bags 
per annum. ‘ 
11. Surti . — The name is a corruption of Surat as these shells were originally 
shipped from that port before the rise of Bombay. They are fished almost entirely 
off the Kathiawar coast ; often very large and of fine quality. They are recognized 
as of two sub-grades, of which the larger fetches Rs. 22 to Rs. 25 per 100 while the 
smaller runs from Rs. 8 to Rs. 10 per 100. The quantity imported is said to be about 
80 bags large (100 shells to a bag) and 120 bags of small (300 to a bag). It must be 
understood that the prices given above are approximate only ; they represent the 
average value during the past two or three years. 
The sawn rings supplied from the wholesale cutting factories at Dacca and some 
few other centres to local bangle workshops widely scattered throughout Tower 
Bengal, are distinguished and sold under a different series of trade terms. The range 
of these terms undergoes considerable reduction at this stage, as it is now only a matter 
of the quality of the working section or ring and not of size and shape in addition to 
colour and quality as is the case with regard to the classification of shells. 
The grades of shell-sections recognized by bangle workers in outlying districts 
are usually five in number, and are as follows : — 
First quality, Titkutti .- — The working sections sold under this title vary in price 
from Rs. 17 to Rs. 22 per 100 pieces according to size and quality — the average working 
out at about 3 annas each. As is indicated by the name, these sections should be cut 
from Tuticorin shells of perfect quality. In actual practice, the highest quality of 
Rameswaram and a quantity of the best selected Ceylon shells from Neduntivu and 
Mannar are usually utilized for the production of Titkutti rings. These are usually 
bought on credit in Rs. 100 to Rs. 300 lots. 
This particular quality is required almost exclusively for the manufacture of 
highly ornamented bangles of churi and bala descriptions as both these require to be 
highly polished , and for this purpose the Tuticorin grade is the one best adapted on 
account of its great hardness, fine grain and perfectly white colour. 
The second quality, termed Jadki, also hails from the Tuticorin and Rameswaram 
fisheries, but is slightly inferior to the Titkutti grade which forms a “ selected ” 
quality. The inferiority of the Jadki grade is expressed usually in some slight defect 
in respect of colour or the presence of a worm hole The price of working sections made 
