gems, Arabic mineralogy, al-Akfani, early lapidaries

Sinkankas: A translation of the mineralogical section of al-Akfānī’s work (see AKFANI), covering pages 835–853, is followed by another translation (pages 853–859) of an ancient Arabic manual that offers practical guidance on the buying and selling of gemstones, including how their quality is evaluated and other valuable observations. At the end of the chapter, a commentary discusses various gems—specifically ruby, spinel, garnet, pearl, emerald, turquoise, coral, onyx, and carnelian. The sources from which this material is drawn are listed at the beginning of the chapter.

corundum, history.1, gems, Arabic mineralogy, jade, Fischer-Other, early lapidaries

From Sinkankas: A translation and intensive study of an Arabic manuscript lapidary in the National Library, Paris, and comparison with mss in Hebrew and Latin of similar treatises preserved in other libraries. While the supposed author is said to be Aristotle" it is clear that the writing cannot be attributed to him but to an unknown author who derived his information from ancient Greek sources. The substance of the lapidary is compared by Ruska to that contained in Theophrastus' Peri lithon and the mineralogical matter in Dioscorides, along with other comparisons to writings of the Alexandrian School, the gem book of Teifaschi, and that of Mohammed Ben Mansur. An important section provides a description of the stones from the lapidary of Al-Kazwini. The mss studied by Ruska is Codex Paris 2772 and its translation appears on p 126–82, embracing 72 stones, among them, pearl, emerald, garnet, carnelian, malachite, bezoar, diamond, turquoise and lapis lazuli. See Thorndike, History of Magic, etc, 2, 260–2 for discussion of this work which is only a small portion of his entire chapter devoted to Pseudo-Aristotle, p 246–78."

gems, gems general

A comprehensive review of precious-stone production, mining, discoveries, and trade during 1909. Sterrett records a marked increase in U.S. gem production, especially turquoise, variscite, tourmaline, and chrysoprase, reflecting the growing popularity of blue and green matrix stones; more than 17 tons of rough turquoise and 3½ tons of variscite were mined during the year. A major portion of the report is devoted to detailed descriptions of American deposits, including turquoise and variscite in Nevada and Utah, a new emerald occurrence near Shelby, North Carolina, Montana sapphires, California tourmaline and californite, and numerous agate, amethyst, beryl, opal, garnet, and ornamental-stone localities. Particularly important is an extensive account of the newly discovered benitoite deposit in San Benito County, California, covering its geology, paragenesis with natrolite and neptunite, crystallography, optical properties, cutting, and gem qualities. The report also describes the newly named rose-colored beryl morganite from Madagascar. Diamond sections survey Arkansas, California, South Africa, German Southwest Africa, British Guiana, and Australia, while Burmese ruby mining at Mogok and sapphire production in Queensland and Ceylon are also discussed. The report concludes with U.S. production statistics and notes a strong recovery in precious-stone imports, especially rough and cut diamonds, indicating a return of the diamond trade toward pre-1908 conditions.

corundum, synthetic corundum.7, Verneuil, gems

Boyer’s original publication on gem materials synthesis precedes Michel’s Die künstlichen Edelsteine, 1914, which see, although the latter is far more thorough. The first German edition rewrote Boyer’s work into more easily understandable prose, included more historical data, gave fuller accounts of contemporary work in Germany, and otherwise substantially enlarged and improved Boyer’s edition. The present edition further enlarges the work. In general, major remarks are confined to the synthesis of corundum but also include comments on synthetic quartz, opal, emerald, and diamond, the German editors believing that diamond was actually made by Moissan. Amplifying remarks in part four discuss color in natural gemstones, distinctions between synthetic and natural gemstones, properties of synthetic diamond (!) and including their combustion, and prices of synthetic stones. Other parts treat impact of synthetics in industry and controversy over nomenclature and possible deceptive sales practices, and rather out of place, the cultured pearl.

gems, jade, pyroxene jade, fei cui, Mesoamerica, Guatemala, Mexico, Aztec, Olmec, opal, pearl, turquoise, agate

Kunz presents a broad survey of the gem and ornamental-stone resources of Mexico, combining contemporary mineralogical information with extensive discussion of pre-Columbian lapidary materials and their possible sources. He notes that opal was then the only gemstone systematically mined in Mexico and tecali, the so-called Mexican onyx but actually a form of banded aragonite, the principal ornamental stone. Other materials discussed include garnet, topaz, amethyst, rock crystal, chalcedony, agate, jasper, turquoise, obsidian, and reported but generally unsubstantiated occurrences of diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald. Particular attention is devoted to Mexican opal, including deposits in Querétaro, Hidalgo, Guerrero, Michoacán, Jalisco, and San Luis Potosí, their geology and mining, varieties and colors, cutting and commerce, and the tendency of some material to crack or lose its play-of-color as it dries. Kunz also describes the recently discovered turquoise occurrence near Bonanza, Zacatecas, and reviews the extensive use of turquoise mosaic in Aztec objects. A substantial portion of the work concerns chalchihuitl, which he recognizes as a general indigenous designation embracing several valued green materials rather than a single mineral. He distinguishes turquoise from what he terms the “precious chalchihuitl,” identified as jadeite, and discusses jadeite artifacts, archaeological discoveries, historical tribute records, and attempts to reconstruct the geographic sources of the material. Kunz states that jadeite, rather than nephrite, characterizes the Mexican and Central American jades known to him and argues from Aztec tribute records that its sources lay south of Mexico City, particularly toward the Oaxaca–Veracruz border, Chiapas, and Central America. He nevertheless acknowledges that the primary deposits remained unknown and that much of the ancient material appears to have been obtained as stream-worn pebbles and boulders. The work is therefore both an early mineralogical survey of Mexican gemstones and an important historical treatment of the identification, use, archaeological distribution, and unresolved provenance of Mesoamerican jade and other greenstones.

corundum, history.1, curious lore, gems

A wide-ranging compilation of historical, folkloric, medical and occult beliefs concerning the curative powers of gemstones and the nobler metals. Fernie gathers material from classical authors, medieval lapidaries, early medical writers, folklore, literature and contemporary sources, discussing the supposed therapeutic virtues of individual stones and the diseases they were believed to prevent or cure when worn, carried, powdered or otherwise administered. Separate treatments include diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, agate, bloodstone, coral, pearl, turquoise, opal, lapis lazuli and many other materials, together with gold, silver and related substances. The work is less a scientific mineralogical study than an extensive survey of traditional gem medicine, amuletic practice and popular belief, frequently juxtaposing ancient claims with modern medical commentary. Its chief value to gemology lies in the extraordinary breadth of historical lore assembled on the medicinal and supernatural uses of gems and in documenting the persistence of such beliefs into the early twentieth century.

gems general

Kunz surveys the American and international precious-stone industry for 1905, a year he describes as a record for U.S. gem imports and one of exceptional prosperity in the jewelry trade. He notes strong demand for brightly colored stones, especially emerald, pearl, tourmaline, peridot, amethyst, aquamarine, and topaz, together with improved American lapidary work and rapidly expanding domestic diamond cutting. Particular attention is given to U.S. gem localities, including California tourmaline, beryl and kunzite deposits, Maine tourmaline, southwestern turquoise, Utah variscite (“utahlite”), and rose quartz and other ornamental stones. Kunz-1906-Precious Stones.pdf The extensive diamond section discusses reported U.S. occurrences and attempts to trace diamonds from the glacial drift of the Great Lakes region to a Canadian source, as well as production in South Africa, Brazil, and Australia. South African developments include De Beers production, declining grades but rising diamond prices, and the Premier mine’s extraordinary large stones, including the Cullinan diamond. Kunz-1906-Precious Stones.pdf Other sections treat corundum gems, including Burma ruby production; Colombian emeralds, particularly Muzo; amber, garnet, quartz varieties, and other gem materials. Kunz records Burma ruby output and describes a 77-carat ruby reportedly sold for four lakhs of rupees, while noting the large but incompletely explored emerald-bearing area at Muzo. Kunz-1906-Precious Stones.pdf The report concludes with trade statistics showing U.S. imports of diamonds and other precious stones reaching nearly $35 million in 1905, a striking rise from the preceding years and evidence of the rapid growth of the American gem and jewelry market.

gems, beryl, emerald, Colombia, Muzo, bibliography

Bergt describes the celebrated emerald mines of Muzo in Colombia, with particular attention to their geological setting and the mode of occurrence of the emeralds. He discusses the sedimentary rocks of the district and the veins and fissures in which emerald occurs, together with calcite and other associated minerals, and considers the geological processes responsible for the mineralization. The character of the emerald-bearing zones and their relationship to the surrounding rocks are described, as are the mining operations by which the deposits were exposed and worked. Bergt also comments on the occurrence and quality of the emerald crystals and on Muzo’s importance as a source of gem material. The paper forms part of his broader Geologische Studien in der Republik Colombia and provides a concise late nineteenth-century geological account of one of the world’s most historically important emerald deposits, emphasizing the geological relationships between the emerald mineralization, its associated minerals, and the enclosing sedimentary formations.

India, history, gems

A profusely illustrated survey of British India at the close of the nineteenth century, combining descriptions of its principal cities, monuments, peoples, religions, industries, institutions, and historical sites. Of gemological interest are numerous incidental references to jewelry, precious stones, and objects of royal and religious treasure. Bombay mill women are described wearing extensive ornaments of gold, silver, or gilded base metal, while Parsee women are said increasingly to favor European-style diamond and pearl ornaments. The great temple at Madura possessed a rich treasury with magnificent jewels, including an ancient gold crown, turban, and pendant studded with precious stones. At Futtehpur-Sikri, merchants from Bengal, the Deccan, and Kabul are described bringing jewels, precious stones, gold and silver embroidery, and other luxury goods to the Mughal court. The Peacock Throne at Delhi is noted for its sapphires, rubies, diamonds, emeralds, and other jewels, while Mysore receives attention for its state jewels. The work also mentions the ancient pearl and conch-shell fisheries of Tuticorin and provides extensive visual documentation of Indian dress, ornament, architecture, courtly culture, and everyday life, making it a useful contemporary source for the social and cultural setting of gems and jewelry in late nineteenth-century India.

ruby, sapphire, corundum, Burma.12, India.12, Afghanistan.12, Kashmir.12, USA.12, Montana.12, quality.10, history.1, nomenclature, gems

Sinkankas: Entirely re-written & enlarged in the format established by the previous edition; new material appears in virtually every part of the text and much is now included on the ruby mines of Burma, whose systematic exploitation by modern mining methods was financed in part by Streeter’s company. Also to be found are remarks on the Montana sapphire mines and the Egyptian emerald mines. An interesting photograph of the famous Kashmir sapphire locality is now included among the illustrations, also a color plate of rough sapphire crystals from Montana, but for the most part, the color plates remain as poorly prepared as before. Many regard this as the best edition.