Where the Best Shawls are Made.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8024, 10 January 1906, Page 4

Where the Best Shawls are Made.

. In Bokhara, where the finest and most expensive camel's hair shawls are manufactured, the camel is watched while the fine hair on the under part of his body is growing. This is clipped so carefully that not a hair is lost, and it is put up until there is enough to spin into a yam unequalled for softness. It is then dyed alb manner of beautiful bright colours, and woven in strips Sin. wide, of shawl patterns of exquisite design. These strips are next sewed together so cunningly that it is impoesible to detect where they are joined. Eussia is the principal market. From that country they find their way all over the world.

The King's Dinner Plate. The finest collection of gold piste which the world can produce is in the possession of King Edward VII. It includes gorgeous specimens of the oriental gold worker'ssubtle art. The lyre-bird, taken by the English from Seringapatam, where it graced Tippoo Sahib's board, is fashioned of solid gold, which is thickly studded with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and pearls. This piece of table ornamentation represents an income of £1,500 a year. Then there is the superb gold dinner service for 130 persona acquired by George IV. One of the shields inoluded in this service was made out of snuff boxes, and cost £IO,OOO. East and West have been laid under contribution. Trophies from India, Burmah and China stand side by side with quaint pieces which recall the days of good Queen Bess. George IV. gave £II,OOO for thirty dozen of plates comprised in the unique service. A silver wine-cooler, belonging to the same set, would easily accommodate two men with sitting room. The total value of the King's plate, which a stored at Windsor Castle, is £2,000,000-