Page:Guide to the Bohemian section and to the Kingdom of Bohemia - 1906.djvu/140

114 By means of a special colouring substance beads are made closely imitate real pearls. This and colouring operations generally, is done for the most part in Vienna.

Some of the master bead-makers, manage the commercial side of the business themselves and deal directly with the houses in Vienna, but as a rule this part of the trade is in the hands of about 42 dealers large and small who forward the goods to Vienna from whence they are exported to all parts of the world.

The exhibits of the PRŮMYSLOVÉ MUSEUM PODKRKONOŠSKÉ V HOŘICÍCH gives a good idea of the work of this industry

In the manufactures of Prague that of glove making, is one the most important, giving employment to 1532 journeymen and 260 apprentices.

The glove is, both from its history and symbolic importance, one of the most interesting of all articles of dress. From time immemorial the glove possessed a legal significance in oriental countries in the forms, practised in the transfer of property. In feudal times the challenge to single combat was given by the casting down of the knightly glove, but this war-like „glove fashion“ has long since given place to others of a more friendly, comfortable, and frequently tender kind as when a gentleman selects such useful articles to present to a young lady as a sign of his warm regard and desire for her friendship—in other words to be „hand-and-glove“ with her. But, most people appreciate a good glove, and it is such an article of approved excellence, that we desire to direct the attention of the glove-wearing visitors to the section of the Bohemian gloves exporters in the Austrian exhibition at Earl’s Court.

Glove-making in workshops large and small, is the rule in Prague, but as a home industry it has been carried on since 1865, in Dobříš, Příbram, Březové Hory, Hostomice and Rožmitál. The leather is cut in Prague, and sent by the great manufacturers to agents in the towns, who distribute it amongst the needle-women; some of whom only do a part of the glove, others with the assistance of