gems, lapidary arts, ancient lapidary, early gem cutting, diamond, Brazil, gem cutting, topaz

An introductory mineralogical and geological handbook by the English mineralogist and dealer John Mawe, intended for students and general readers. The work explains the principal classes of minerals and rocks, their external characters, identification and occurrence, supported by numerous illustrative plates. Precious and ornamental stones are included among the minerals discussed, reflecting Mawe’s practical experience with gems and lapidary materials. The book is useful for tracing the popularization of mineralogy and gem knowledge in early nineteenth-century Britain and for understanding the descriptive methods used before modern chemical and crystallographic classification became standard.