end-sticks

Updated: May 7, 2025

It was painted with innumerable plump little cupids, flying among pale clouds. The sticks were of mother-of=pearl. The end-sticks were elaborately incised, and in the incisions opals were set, big ones and small ones, smouldering with green and scarlet fires. "Very pretty indeed," said Peter, "and very curious. It's like a great butterfly's wing is n't it? But are n't you afraid of opals?"

Henry Harland - The Cardinal's Snuff-Box