DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0198
166 THE GREAT EXHIBITION
7. Of the three States in the next division, Turkey, Egypt, and Tunis, the two latter
were only slender contributors in this class. One or two articles contained in the list
furnished by the Egyptian government, and a few pairs of Tunisian scissors of the
roughest workmanship, constituted the entire collections. Turkey, however, appeared
with articles of greater interest, such as scissors and hunting-knives, few in number, but
well made. The knives had blades of Damascus steel; the scissors were of a singular
form, and well deserved notice. They were so fashioned that each blade was half of a
hollow cone, and the two therefore produced an entire cone when closed. The sides of
each of these halves formed the cutting edges. They were well finished, and must have
required much skill and great labour in their fabrication, rendering their cost high; but
it did not appear that they possessed any superior utility. It was not stated that they
were so made for any special purpose; and, if not, they involve considerable waste of toil
and skill.
8. From China there were only a very few articles; but one of them was a singular
instrument, and should be noticed, as characteristic of the people from whose workshops
it proceeded. It was a small blade of a triangular form, 2^-in. long, l£-in. wide, and
5-in. thick, folding upon a slender wooden cylindrical handle, and was used as a razor
for shaving a part of the head, according to general practice among the Chinese. It
is not easy for us to comprehend how the operation can be successfully performed with
such au implement; but it is said to be in common use among the natives, and to effect
its purpose in their hands with the utmost nicety and dispatch, and it cannot, therefore,
he ill-adapted to its object. The workmanship was, to European eyes, of a very rude
description, and even the surface of the metal displayed none of the finish which was so
diligently bestowed on many Chinese productions; but the edge it carried was cer-
tainly good, and its quality, no doubt, surpassed its appearance.
9. Lastly, the opposite hemisphere supplied, from the United States of America, a
collection which, though not very extensive,, contained some signal proofs of proficiency in
such manufactures, and was strongly characteristic of the natural and social exigencies of
the people from whom it came. It consisted of a few articles of the finer cutlery, but
mainly of assortments of the larger edge-tools and implements, such as scythes and axes,
and other objects of that nature. The former were finished with great care, and decorated
with much costly ornament; but the jury could not pronounce them to be of the first
degree of excellence in workmanship, and their temper was wanting in the hardness
proper to the best cutlery. With respect to the other articles, however, the case was
different. There was a set of joiner's tools, which, though few in number, were excellent;
and the same might be said of the scythes, which were of the best quality. Good as these
productions were, they were, perhaps, surpassed by the axes, to which nothing of the
kind could be superior. They were admirably finished, and at the same time displayed
all those more valuable qualities which are the necessary conditions and evidence of
perfection in such commodities. It was evident that the great prevailing want of the popu-
lation had created and encouraged to perfection, in its own neighbourhood, the trade
which was to supply it. The jury believe, that in the above general survey of the con-
tributions presented by this class of the Exhibition, they have left nothing unmentioned
of any note or merit.
7. Of the three States in the next division, Turkey, Egypt, and Tunis, the two latter
were only slender contributors in this class. One or two articles contained in the list
furnished by the Egyptian government, and a few pairs of Tunisian scissors of the
roughest workmanship, constituted the entire collections. Turkey, however, appeared
with articles of greater interest, such as scissors and hunting-knives, few in number, but
well made. The knives had blades of Damascus steel; the scissors were of a singular
form, and well deserved notice. They were so fashioned that each blade was half of a
hollow cone, and the two therefore produced an entire cone when closed. The sides of
each of these halves formed the cutting edges. They were well finished, and must have
required much skill and great labour in their fabrication, rendering their cost high; but
it did not appear that they possessed any superior utility. It was not stated that they
were so made for any special purpose; and, if not, they involve considerable waste of toil
and skill.
8. From China there were only a very few articles; but one of them was a singular
instrument, and should be noticed, as characteristic of the people from whose workshops
it proceeded. It was a small blade of a triangular form, 2^-in. long, l£-in. wide, and
5-in. thick, folding upon a slender wooden cylindrical handle, and was used as a razor
for shaving a part of the head, according to general practice among the Chinese. It
is not easy for us to comprehend how the operation can be successfully performed with
such au implement; but it is said to be in common use among the natives, and to effect
its purpose in their hands with the utmost nicety and dispatch, and it cannot, therefore,
he ill-adapted to its object. The workmanship was, to European eyes, of a very rude
description, and even the surface of the metal displayed none of the finish which was so
diligently bestowed on many Chinese productions; but the edge it carried was cer-
tainly good, and its quality, no doubt, surpassed its appearance.
9. Lastly, the opposite hemisphere supplied, from the United States of America, a
collection which, though not very extensive,, contained some signal proofs of proficiency in
such manufactures, and was strongly characteristic of the natural and social exigencies of
the people from whom it came. It consisted of a few articles of the finer cutlery, but
mainly of assortments of the larger edge-tools and implements, such as scythes and axes,
and other objects of that nature. The former were finished with great care, and decorated
with much costly ornament; but the jury could not pronounce them to be of the first
degree of excellence in workmanship, and their temper was wanting in the hardness
proper to the best cutlery. With respect to the other articles, however, the case was
different. There was a set of joiner's tools, which, though few in number, were excellent;
and the same might be said of the scythes, which were of the best quality. Good as these
productions were, they were, perhaps, surpassed by the axes, to which nothing of the
kind could be superior. They were admirably finished, and at the same time displayed
all those more valuable qualities which are the necessary conditions and evidence of
perfection in such commodities. It was evident that the great prevailing want of the popu-
lation had created and encouraged to perfection, in its own neighbourhood, the trade
which was to supply it. The jury believe, that in the above general survey of the con-
tributions presented by this class of the Exhibition, they have left nothing unmentioned
of any note or merit.