gems, jade, Kunz, Tiffany, quartz, rock crystal

Kunz’s Catalogue of the Tiffany & Company Collection of Jade and Rock Crystal describes a collection assembled to illustrate the varieties, sources, history, and artistic uses of jade and rock crystal. The jade section treats both nephrite and jadeite, discussing their mineralogical distinctions, geographical sources, colors, physical properties, and historical use, particularly in China, where jade occupied an exceptional ceremonial and artistic position. The catalogue describes carved objects and other examples illustrating Chinese lapidary workmanship and the range of materials commonly included under the name jade. Rock crystal and related varieties of quartz are similarly represented by carved and ornamental objects demonstrating their use by different cultures and periods. Kunz combines catalogue descriptions with information on mineralogy, archaeology, history, folklore, and lapidary techniques, placing individual objects within the broader history of ornamental stones. The volume provides an important record of Tiffany & Company’s late nineteenth-century collection and of contemporary American understanding of jade, rock crystal, and the arts associated with their carving.