286

JEWELLERS.

CHAP. XXVI.

gree of inferior workmanship, at Derby and Liver-pool, but more especially at Birmingham. At thelatter place much gold is so mixed with alloys, in thecombination of which much chemical knowledge isapplied, that it can be sold at all prices from ahalf to even a quarter the cost of standard gold.From metal of these several degrees of finenessornaments are made which enable the more nu-merous class, a little below the fashionable world,to rival their superiors in fashion, and with nodanger of their inferiority being detected exceptby the very small number who are critical judgesof the metals.

Another step has been made in the progressof suiting ornaments to the finances of a stillmore numerous class of lovers of dress. Of lateyears the practice of plating with gold in a man-ner similar to that long practised with silver hasbeen introduced. A thin plate of gold is fixed ona thicker one of inferior metal, and then by meansof the powerful flatting-mills the substance is ex-tended to the space desired, and presents a sheeton one side of thin gold and on the other of in-ferior metal. From this metal thus compoundedgreat numbers of seals and other small articles aremade which are gold to appearance, and will re-tain that appearance even when constantly wornduring ten or twelve years.

The gilding of metal, by applying to it powdergold combined with quicksilver so as to leave