1379
both sides of the river, and seen that the platinum wascollocted from the detritus of tho rooks, which aro tippedwith granite, in the usual reniform grains, we returned.”A very productive bed of grains of platinum was dis-covered a few years ago by Professor Ilansteen and M.
Erman, on the banks of the Chcrna, near its confluencewith the Tagil, in a valley to the south-west of Shaitanslc.]Tho following woodcut, and the accompanying Plates,illustrate several portions of the beautiful articles madeof malachite.
•JARVIS.
Figures in Silver un<l Malachite.
[The magnificent works executed in malachite, andexhibited by the Messrs. Demidoff, tho proprietors of theprincipal mine and manufactory Of the stone, far Surpassin magnitude and excellence the finest that had beforebeen seen out of Russia * The best and most costly ofthe objects exhibited is the pair of doors, measuring14 feet 5 inches high, and 7 feet wide. They are builtupon a framework of metal, tho malachite being veneeredin thin slices about a quarter of an inch thick. But thechief peculiarity of the manufacture consists in the inge-nious way in which the cut pieces of stone are adapted toe aeh other so as to form a pleasing and appropriate pattern,a nd cemented by a very coarse cement made of fragments°f the stone itself, and coloured in the same way. Theniagnitude of each piece of malachite is very inconsiderable,a ny single object being made up of hundreds, or eventhousands of pieces, cut into a fit shape. In this way alarge proportion of the whole is absolutely lost; and as thefiner pieces are of considerable value, the cost of material18 thus very considerable in addition to the great labour.Some idea may be formed of the latter, when it is statedthat in addition to the laboiu’ of cutting and partly fittingthe pieces, it occupied as many persons as could be em-ployed on tho doors (30 men) a full year to fit, finish, andPolish them. The total quantity of labour employed was,'owever, much greater than would thus appear, since the
work went on day and night without ceasing during thewhole time, from the 1st May, 1850, to the beginning ofMay tins year. The vases and chimneypieco of tho samemanufacture are hardly loss valuable and magnificent thanthe doors, and the whole value of theso goods is stated atnearly 18,0007 There aro ft number of smaller articles ofloss importance, but still Of a degree of beauty and finishrarely seen in this country.
Tho lumps of native gold and platina exhibited by theMessrs. Demidoff are remarkably fine—the latter especially,which are rarely seen of such large size. The platin umweighs in all nearly 70 lbs. avoirdupois.'—D. T. A.]
325 IiIKHACHEPP, 1\, St. Petersburg —Manufacturer.Gold-plated and silver-plated epaulettes. Silver
shoulder-knots.
326 Imperial Polishing Manufactory of Ekate-
Bordered vase of greenish jasper, three feet high. Thisvase is represented, together with a large candelabrum, inPlate 100.
[“ The next interesting proof that We discovered,” ob-serves M. Erman, “ of the industrial activity and resourcesof the Ural was in the quarries on the banks of theIset, which are worked by the Government. The stu-pendous columns, capitals, and vases, which are produced
5 E
[Official Illustrated Catalogue.]