PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS, NOT ADVANCED IN VALUE FROM Tourmalines.. Quartz.. Pearls.. Organization........ Domestic consumption. Domestic exports...... Foreign production.. Imports.... Tariff history.. Competitive conditions. Tariff considerations. Statistical material: Production in United States Value of precious stones produced in the United States... Production of precious stone material in the United States. Production in foreign countries. Imports by countries: Diamonds.. Page. 28 28 29 30 32 33 33 34 34 35 35 35 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 38 . 38 38 38 38 39 39 39 39 41 41 42-43 Production in the United States. Diamonds-Imports by countries. Other precious and semiprecious stones-Imports by countries. BEADS, JEWELRY, AND PRECIOUS STONES. BEADS AND SPANGLES. SUMMARY. Beads, spangles, and ornaments, as well as other articles composed wholly or in part of beads and spangles, are included in one paragraph, acts of 1894, 1897, 1909, and 1913. Since 1894 there has been a great increase in the variety of beads and spangles imported and the range of prices has been greatly extended. It is contended that the articles should now be reclassified for tariff purposes. Small "rice" beads and cheap toy necklaces, for example, should not be classed as manufactures of beads. Some think that loosely strung beads without a clasp are not finished articles and should not be required to pay duty as such; that imported beads of all kinds and cut stones should be admitted at a low rate of duty, to enable domestic jewelry manufacturers to compete with foreign establishments in the domestic market. The domestic production for most of the articles is not sufficient to satisfy requirements under normal conditions. The foreign products appear, as a rule, to be of better workmanship and more desirable than the domestic. But little machinery is used in the manufacture, and foreign establishments have the advantage of cheap labor. Nearly 70 per cent of the imports in 1918 came from France. Since 1914 there has been some increase in the domestic manufacture. GENERAL INFORMATION. 1913 TARIFF PARAGRAPH. PAR. 333. "Beads and spangles of all kinds, including imitation pearl beads, not threaded or strung, or strung loosely on thread for facility in transportation only, 35 per centum ad valorem; curtains, and other articles, not embroidered nor appliqued and not specially provided for in this section, composed wholly or in chief value of beads or spangles made of glass or paste, gelatin, metal, or other material, 50 per centum ad valorem." DESCRIPTION. The latest definition of "bead" in litigation is "a little perforated sphere, ball, cylinder or the like, usually strung on a thread or attached to a fabric for decoration." (G. A. 8356, T. D. 38452.) A spangle is a small plate or bar of shining metal or other material used as an ornament, especially when stitched on the dress. Artificial pearls are manufactured in a variety of ways. Some are globes of thin opaline glass, filled with gum or wax, and deadened 64912-21-N-1- -2 9 on the surface by means of hydrofluoric acid. The better kinds are glass globules lined with a nacreous composition formed by digesting the silvery scales of the bleak (a fish) in ammonia. Roman pearls are glass spheres, to which the nacreous material is applied externally. Celluloid, incorporated with fish scales, has become a favorite material for artificial pearls. Black pearls have been imitated by beads of a very compact plumbago luster. Pink pearls are frequently confounded with beads or pale coral.1 Materials. As indicated by the list of the different kinds of beads, pearls, etc., various materials are used, but glass and metals predominate. Methods of production. Of the products covered by paragraph 333, artificial pearls are in most popular demand. They are manufactured by coating the interior of hollow glass beads with essence d'Orient; coating a solid glass bead with the same material and coating metal beads with a celluloid varnish. The hollow glass beads are sometimes filled with wax. Spangles are made of gelatine, metal, or other material, which is cut into small disks and then colored. Most of the articles are made largely by hand, very little machinery being used. Since the decrease in imports, due to the war, a new process has been patented which enables the use of machinery in the manufacture of beads, and has apparently cheapened the price of the artificial pearls. It is contended by the domestic producers that cheaper labor enables the foreign manufacturers to compete successfully in the domestic market, especially in the production of glass beads. Difference in the price of materials does not appear to be an important factor in foreign competition. Domestic production. There are no statistics of domestic production. The manufacture of glass, metal, and composition beads is largely an adjunct of other industries and the data for them have never been separated. The Federal census of 1914 gives separate totals for 19 establishments engaged primarily in "beadwork," i. e., the manufacture of bead and glass necklaces, beaded bags, collars, lamp shades, and novelties. The products for the year were valued at $1,083,000. The industry is largely concentrated in New York City. Since 1914 there has been an increase in the production of some varieties of beads especially wood, celluloid, vegetable ivory, and glass. The domestic production, however, is very small as compared with the imports and by no means satisfies the demand. The demand depends largely on fashion, especially for the glass ornaments. Domestic exports.--Very few, if any, of the articles covered by paragraph 333 are exported. Foreign production.-The industry, especially the manufacture of glass beads (imitation_pearls), has been long established in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Japan, but there are no reliable statistics of the quantity or value of the annual production in any of these countries. Imports. The statistics of imports for consumption are shown separately for "beads and spangles," and "curtains and other articles not specially provided for of beads and spangles.' The general imports, by countries are shown under "beads and bead ornaments." 1 Dictionary of Applied Chemistry, Thorpe. |