pearls, gems

Sinkankas: This modest, charming, and tastefully prepared booklet on pearls marks the beginning of an increasingly larger and more elaborate series of books on pearls and precious stones by Rosenthal. The text covers various aspects such as the history of pearl knowledge since antiquity, the natural history of pearly mollusks and the methods by which they are fished, the culture of nacreous shellfish, the evaluation and marketing of pearls, famous pearls, and curious lore surrounding them. The work was issued as a memento to favored customers. The text in the 1920 edition is the same as in the previous one, but the work itself is magnificently designed and produced, elaborately decorated, and fitted with splendid pearl-fantasy color plates by Edmond Dulac (1882–1953). Each plate measures 15 × 13.5 cm (5⅞ × 5⁵⁄₁₆ in), heightened with gold or silver as appropriate. Because of the stunning plates, this work is often offered by dealers in fine art materials.