070
MEERSCHAUM BOWLS ; AMBER, &c.
[CTass XXIX.
stance absorbs, cause the colours 'which meerschaumassumes after smoking. Under the influence of the heatproduced by the burning tobacco, the wax and fats passthrough all the stages of a true process of dry distillation,the substances thus formed become associated with theproducts of the distillation of the tobacco, and by theirdiffusion through the meerschaum, all those gradations ofcolour which are so highly prized by the connoisseur arcproduced.
Occasionally, though rarely, the bowls are artificiallystained by dipping them, before they are soaked in wax,in a solutiou of copperas (sulphate of iron) either alone,or mixed with one of dragon’s blood. This process mustmanifestly affect, very materially, the shades of colourproduced in smoking.
Attempts have not been wanting to imitate meerschaum,the process being rather mechanical than chemical; foralthough chemists have of late been very successful in theartificial production of minerals, for instance palagonite(Bunsen), spinellc (Ebelmen \ crystallized carbonates (Se-nannont), no one has attempted the production of meer-schaum, chemically.
The large quantity of meerschaum parings that are leftin roughing out the bowls would entail considerable loss,unless some process had been devised of rendering themavailable. A species of meerschaum bowl has long beenknown in commerce under the name of ILissct-kopfe (massabowls), which is made from the parings; these are tritu-rated to a fine powder, boiled in water, and nioulde 1 intoblocks with or without the addition of clay, each of theseblocks suffices for one bowl; but before they can be usedthey must be allowed to dry for some time, as they contractconsiderably. Specimens of composition pipe-bowls andcigar-tubes are exhibited in the Austrian Section (087).These bowls are distinguished from real meerschaumby their greater specific gravity, but there is no verycertain test by which the real meerschaum can be distin-guished from the composition, and many suppose that allthe heavier descriptions are spurious, though there is noabsolute proof of this being the case. A negative testmay however be mentioned ; the composition bowls neverexhibit those little blemishes which result from thepresence of foreign bodies in the natural meerschaum,therefore if a blemish occur in a meerschaum bowl, whichis very frequently the case, the genuineness of the bowlis rendered most probable; but as these do not show untilafter the bowl has been used for some time, the test is notof much value.
Amber .—The most extensive use of this elegant materialis for the manufacture of the mouth-piece, an essentialconstituent of the genuine meerschaum and Turkish pipe.Up to the present day, amber mouth-pieces continue ingreat request in the East, where they fetch very highprices, instances of which will be quoted. There is acurrent belief in Turkey that amber is incapable of trans-mitting infection, and as it is a great mark of politenessto offer the pipe to a stranger, this supposed negativeproperty of the amber accounts in some measure for theestimation in which it is held. In the Christian countriesof Europe , ivory, bone, and horn, have, to some extentusurped the place of the more costly material, which isreserved for the higher class of pipes. Amber is alsomuch employed in numerous small fancy articles, espe-cially for beads, necklaces, brooches, and earrings. TheExhibition furnishes also examples of its being workedoccasionally into candlesticks, salvers, pipe-tubes, andother larger articles. The coarser descriptions and chipsof amber are also employed for the manufacture of var-nish, and the preparation of amber-oil and succinic acid,which it yields by distillation at a moderate tempera-ture. Copal , which bears a strong resemblance to, butis much cheaper than amber, is occasionally substitutedfor it, fraudulently or through ignorance. There is nodifficulty in distinguishing the two by a chemical analysis,but this renders the sacrifice of a small piece of thesubstance necessary; some varieties of amber, especiallythe dark yellow and transparent descriptions, are scarcelyto be distinguished, unless by a well-practised eye, fromcopal. A few words may be said respecting the chemicalcharacters of amber which, however, do not affect its
employment in manufactures. According to an analysisof Berzelius , it contains a volatile oil, succinic acid, tworesins soluble in alcohol and ether, and a complex bitu-minous substance (succinic bitumen) which is not affectedby any solvent.
The mode of obtaining amber is peculiarly interesting.The greater part is found on the coast of Prussia Proper,especially between Kbnigsburg and Dautzic; it is distin-guished as terrestrial and marine amber; the former isdug in mines, and is generally found in alluvial depositsof sand and clay, associated with fossil wood, iron pyrites,and alum shale. Amber is also found in some othercountries, but never to any amount. The marine amberis cast ashore during the autumnal storms on the coast ofPomerania and Prussia Proper. It is then picked up, orfished for with small nets. There are several fine speci-mens of both descriptions of amber in the Austrian Section(675, p. 1042), and in the Prussian Section (438, 441, 40,and 41, pp. 1075, 1050). In the case bearing the latternumber are specimens of land amber, and the fossil woodassociated with it which were obtained at a depth of60 feet by the exhibitor, M. Tessler (41, p. 1050), whoemploys about 20 workpeople in his amber-pits. Theopinions respecting the origin of amber are very divided,some hold the view expressed by Tacitus in his Germania ,that it is a resin exuded by certain coniferas, traces, ofwhich are frequently observed among the amber. Othersassume it to be a species of wax or fat, having undergonea slow process of putrefaction; and they base their viewsupon the fact that chemists are able to convert cerous orfatty substances into succinic acid by inducing oxidationartificially. It is quite certain that at one time ambermust have been liquid, for numerous small animals arefound enclosed within it; these for the most part areinsects belonging to ail extinct species of Arachnidce (40).There are numerous and excellent specimens of amberenclosing insects in the Prussian Section (441), and othersin a case which deserves favourable mention fromD. T. Tkssler, who has sent one specimen containing theleg of a toad.* The processes which nature employs forthe preservation of the structure of extinct insects, is onewhich the microscopist successfully imitates by embalminghis delicate dissections in Canada balsam between twoslips of glass.
There is evidence of the extreme antiquity of amber inthe fnct that the Phoenicians of old fetched it fromPrussia. Since that period it lias been obtained thereuninterruptedly, and no diminution in the quantity annu-ally collected has been perceived. This would almostinduce a belief in the correctness of the putrefactiontheory, above alluded to, and we may perhaps assume thata constantly new formation of amber is taking place ; thisview is somewhat strengthened by the different appearanceof the varieties of amber, which seem to exhibit the suc-cessive stages of its development and decay : still thisconclusion to many will appear strained. The differentkinds of amber are distinguished by varieties of colourand degrees of transparency. It is found of all shades ofyellow, from the palest primrose to the deepest orange, oreven brown. In point of clearness amber varies fromvitreous transparency to perfect opacity, specimens beingobtained nearly as white as ivory; in this latter case thetransformation is assumed to have advanced further thanin the ordinary varieties. It is rarely found, and ischiefly used for cameo ornaments, and is mounted ondarker amber which forms the back ground. Severalexamples of its employment are exhibited in the PrussianSection.
An inquiry naturally suggests itself as to which ofthese varieties of amber is the most valuable. It is self-evident that this must depend, as in the diamond, uponthe size and the uniformity of the pieces. Besides, as allthe varieties, excepting the white, which has its specialuses, are equally applicable for manufacturing purposes,it follows that the value of any particular sort mustdepend in a great measure upon its rarity. The straw-yellow, slightly cloud}', trauslucent variety is the most