signet
rings, seals, brooches, beads, sleeve links, and other such articles.
Most of this work is carried on at Ober-stein, to which the Agate is
now taken from Brazil and other places, and from which it is sent to
all parts of the world. Damon records the curious case arising through
the demand in Egypt for objects made of Agate, visitors liking to take
away this "local product" as a souvenir. "What they buy would seem to
be Brazilian Agate worked at Oberstein. We need not go out of England
for similar instances. Cumberland being a county justly noted for its
variety of minerals is expected to produce Agate; hence in some of its
tourist towns one sees large quantities of gorgeously stained Agate
which in all probability came from Brazil in the first instance, and
Oberstein in the second. Another curious case is the exportation to
Central Africa from Oberstein of a large quantity of Agate cut and
polished in cylindrical forms, to he sold as charms.
Many
very beautiful works of art have been produced in this material. France
possesses a complete service in Agate, valued at one time at £20,000;
and many fine examples of this work are to be seen in most of our
larger museums.
Before
the Agate is cut it undergoes some important processes of preparation
in many cases; these consist chiefly in staining the material different
colours; the staining depends on the various layers having different
porosities. Probably the earliest kind of staining known was the black,
which seems to have been first practised in Italy; it is produced by
soaking the material in some carbonaceous matter, sometimes an oil,
more often a solution of sugar or honey; the material is placed in
vats, covered by the solution, and the whole kept at a temperature a
