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PRICE
about
half as much as ordinary white, and about one-third the price of fine
white Indians. These blue pearls must not be confounded with the deep
gray, slate, or black pearls, included in the general term black
pearls, as the latter frequently command fancy prices.
Salt-water
pearls taken from the smaller varieties of the avicula of some seas,
though of the same grade in the qualities of color, luster and shape,
are nevertheless worth less than Indian pearls, because they lack a
certain quality of texture which the latter, together with those of
some other waters, possess to an eminent degree.
American
fresh-water pearls have been and are lower in price than Orientals.
They have however commanded much better prices of late than formerly
and are increasing in value. At present they bring about one-third less
than corresponding qualities from the seas. There is a greater
difference in the price of baroques. Fine Venezuelan baroques from a
half to seven or eight grains are worth now thirty-five to fifty cents
base.
Some of these when mounted appear like
279
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