The Early History of Brass and the Brass Manufactures of Birmingham

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1866 edition. Excerpt: ...or massive brass rings, frequently weighing 4Jlbs each, on the wrists. The forearm bears ' katinda' or coil bracelets; the waiat is girt by a coil of wire twisted round a rope or fibre; and the ankles are covered with a profusion of iron bells, thin rings of brass and copper wire." "The wives of the chiefs of the Wabwari wear a lot of brass ornaments" "The ornaments of the Wusagara, in addition to beads, are the ' katinda (their weight is the test of wealth and respectability), extending from elbow to wrist. Others wear little chains or thick ' bangles' of copper, brass, and zinc; and those of more ample means twist a few circles of brass under the knee in addition." "The sultan of Insene eschews and despises beads, preferring coils of copper or brass wire." "Even the porters, of which great numbers are attached to each caravan on its journey to and from the interior, in addition to massive ivory bracelets, wore heavy ' bangles' of brass or copper, and thin circles or discs of the same metals." Livingstone, in his travels to the Zambesi, still further illustrates the use of brass wire, and brass in Africa, by describing a Makololo woman attired not in a costume supplied by a Parisian "modiste," but in that of Dame Nature, aided by a Birmingham brass wire manufacturer. He says: --, "Sebituane's sister, the head lady of Sesheke, wore eighteen solid brass rings, as thick as one's finger, on each leg, and three of copper under each knee; nineteen brass rings on her left arm, and eight of brass and copper on her right; also a large ivory ring above each elbow. She had a pretty bead necklace, and a bead sash encircled her waist. The weight of the bright brass rings round her legs...