corundum, quality.10, gems

This guide provides a room-by-room catalogue of the treasures displayed in the Royal Green Vaults (Grünes Gewölbe) in Dresden, describing the objects exhibited in the eight rooms of the western wing of the Royal Palace. The collection is particularly important for gemological and jewelry history, encompassing jewels, precious and ornamental stones, carved hardstones, rock crystal, gold- and silversmiths’ work, and other richly mounted objects from the Saxon royal collections. Individual entries briefly identify and describe the objects, making the volume a useful nineteenth-century record of the arrangement and contents of one of Europe’s most important historic treasuries. The 1889 English edition was published in Dresden by Wilhelm Baensch and contains 88 pages, with engraved plates and illustrations.

corundum, ruby, sapphire, Sri Lanka.12, gems

Busz describes corundum specimens from Ceylon, concentrating on their crystallographic form and physical characteristics. He records the crystal forms and combinations displayed by the specimens and discusses their habit and surface development, adding to the detailed mineralogical characterization of Ceylonese corundum. The short paper is principally crystallographic rather than an account of mining or gem production and is of gemological interest for its documentation of the morphology of corundum from one of the historically important sources of ruby and sapphire.

corundum, USA.12, North Carolina.12, Montana.12, gems

Kunz reviews the precious-stone industry and trade in 1887, beginning with American gem mining and estimated U.S. production, then describing recent discoveries and developments involving diamond, zircon, beryl, phenacite, garnet, tourmaline, hiddenite, rock crystal, chrysoprase, agate, pectolite, feldspars, rhodonite, turquoise, cyanite, labradorite, and ornamental stones. Kunz-1888-Precious stones.pdf A substantial section treats foreign sources, particularly the rapidly expanding South African diamond mines, their mining and sorting methods, production, values, consolidation, and effects on the international diamond trade; Kunz also discusses Brazilian, Indian, and Australian diamond production and the growth of diamond imports, cutting, and consumption in the United States. Of particular gemological interest are detailed accounts of the Kashmir sapphire deposit, discovered in 1882 in the Zanskar Range, and the Mogok ruby mines of Burma, including British attempts to lease the mines, contemporary mining practices, royalties, and trade. Kunz also surveys changing fashions in gems, including cat’s-eye, alexandrite, moonstone, opal, and amber, and notes the rapidly growing American interest in carved jade and other hardstone objects. He discusses Alaskan jade, Central American jadeite artifacts, Burmese jadeite, and Māori jade objects, while recording contemporary theories concerning the provenance of American jadeite. The report concludes with accounts of important gem collections and their dispersal or acquisition, including the Hope collection, the French Crown jewels, C.W. King’s engraved gems, the Sommerville collection, W. Hayes Ward’s ancient cylinders, and Isaac Lea’s collection of gems studied for microscopic inclusions.

corundum, India.12, Burma.12, gems

Oldham’s bibliography provides a systematic guide to the literature of Indian geology published up to the late nineteenth century, bringing together references to books, official reports, journal articles, and other publications concerning the geology and mineral resources of India. Compiled in connection with the Geological Survey of India, it covers geological formations, mineralogy, mining, economic deposits, and individual minerals and localities, with entries arranged to facilitate consultation of the rapidly expanding literature. For gemological research it is particularly valuable as a contemporary bibliographic guide to early accounts of India’s diamonds, corundum, precious stones, and other mineral resources, and for tracing reports scattered through Geological Survey publications and other nineteenth-century sources.

corundum, assembled stones.8, gems

Cellini’s treatises provide a practical account of Renaissance goldsmithing and sculpture, describing the materials, tools, and techniques employed by a master craftsman. Of particular gemological interest are his discussions of jewelry manufacture, the setting and mounting of precious stones, enameling, casting, soldering, gilding, and the working of gold and silver, together with observations on diamonds and other gems and their use in elaborate ornaments. Cellini explains workshop procedures from the craftsman’s perspective, often illustrating them from his own experience, making the work an important primary source for the techniques used in sixteenth-century European jewelry and decorative metalwork. Ashbee’s English translation made Cellini’s technical writings accessible to an English-speaking audience and preserves valuable evidence for the close relationship between the Renaissance goldsmith, jeweler, sculptor, and gem worker.

gems, turquoise, Iran, Persia, Nishapur

A popular account of turquoise covering its historical use, folklore, mineral characteristics, and importance in jewelry, with particular attention to the Persian mines near Nishapur. Drawing extensively on A. Houtum Schindler’s report, the article describes the deposits, underground workings and surface diggings, mining hazards, and damage to stones caused by blasting. It discusses grading, cutting and polishing, prices, and the influence of color, size, shape, and the quality termed zât on value. Particular attention is given to color instability and the reported practice of keeping inferior stones damp to preserve their appearance before sale. The article also distinguishes turquoise from odontolite and glass imitations, reviews beliefs concerning its protective powers, and concludes with the reproduction of turquoise blue in ceramics. It provides a contemporary overview of Persian turquoise production and trade alongside nineteenth-century gemological knowledge.

corundum, Burma.12, gems

Laurie provides a historical account of British military and political relations with Burma, concentrating on the First Burmese War of 1824–1826 and the Second Burmese War of 1852–1853, while extending the narrative through subsequent events to 1879 and the early reign of King Theebaw. Drawing on official dispatches, military narratives, and contemporary accounts, he describes campaigns, battles, diplomacy, annexations, and the development of British administration in Arakan, Tenasserim, and Pegu. The later sections broaden the work beyond military history to include information on population, revenue, commerce, communications, and the trade routes linking Mandalay, Bhamo, Yunnan, and China, as well as an assessment of the economic and strategic value of Upper Burma. Although not principally a gemological work, it provides useful historical and commercial background for understanding Burma immediately before the British annexation of Upper Burma and the subsequent opening of the country’s important ruby and jade-producing regions to intensified European investigation and trade.

gems, diamond, corundum, ruby, sapphire, garnet, tourmaline, topaz, opal, turquoise, pearl

Hamlin presents a broad popular survey of gemstones, combining mineralogical information with historical accounts, legends, famous specimens, mining localities, cutting, valuation, and use in jewelry. He discusses diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, tourmalines, topaz, garnets, opals, turquoise, pearls, and numerous other ornamental materials, describing their physical properties, colors, geographical sources, and notable examples. Particular attention is given to American gemstones and mineral localities, including the tourmalines of Maine, a subject on which Hamlin had previously written extensively. The work blends contemporary gemological knowledge with anecdotes and historical lore and provides a useful late-nineteenth-century account of popular and commercial attitudes toward precious stones in the United States.

spinel, compass, lodestone, gems

Hamilton’s Catechism, originally printed in 1552 and here reprinted with an introduction by Thomas Graves Law, is a vernacular exposition of Roman Catholic doctrine prepared for the instruction of clergy and laity in Scotland immediately before the Reformation. It explains the Creed, sacraments, Ten Commandments, prayer, Christian conduct, and related matters of faith and practice. The work is primarily theological rather than mineralogical or gemological; its relevance to gemstone research lies in a passing reference on p. 28, preserved within a valuable sixteenth-century Scottish text and made accessible through Law’s nineteenth-century scholarly edition.

gems, jade, Fischer-Book

Brockhaus’ Conversations-Lexikon is a general German-language encyclopedia covering geography, history, biography, science, technology, literature, art, politics, and other fields of contemporary knowledge. Its mineralogical entries include descriptions of minerals and gemstones, their physical properties, composition, occurrence, uses, and terminology, reflecting late nineteenth-century scientific understanding. Entries relating to precious stones and ornamental materials provide a useful contemporary reference for German gemological and mineralogical nomenclature and for prevailing knowledge of their sources and characteristics.