gems, jade, Fischer-Book

Dezallier d’Argenville’s L’histoire naturelle éclaircie… l’oryctologie (1755) is an important mid-eighteenth-century treatise on what would later develop into mineralogy and geology. The work systematically describes and classifies earths, stones, metals, minerals, and other substances then grouped under the broad category of “fossils,” presenting parallel Latin and French terminology and discussing the principal earlier literature on the subject. Of particular gemological interest are its descriptions and classification of precious and ornamental stones, including diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, topazes, garnets, opals, agates, jaspers, rock crystal, and other lapidary materials, with attention to their physical appearance, varieties, localities, and contemporary nomenclature. The volume is also notable for its engraved plates, drawn by Hyacinthe Collin de Vermont and engraved by Pierre Quentin Chedel, illustrating minerals, crystals, fossils, and related natural-history specimens. It provides a valuable picture of European mineralogical and gemological knowledge immediately before the major advances in chemical mineralogy and crystallography of the later eighteenth century.

corundum, synthetic corundum.7, gems, Gourjon

An expanded French compilation of important seventeenth- and eighteenth-century writings on glassmaking and related chemical arts, centered on Antonio Neri’s L’Arte vetraria and incorporating the commentaries and additions of Christopher Merret and Johann Kunckel. The volume gives practical instructions for making glass and crystal, producing colored glass, preparing and coloring enamels, painting on glass and manufacturing glazes and varnishes. Of particular gemological interest are recipes for imitating precious stones and counterfeiting rubies, together with discussions of extracting the purple color of gold and the preparation of saffre, a cobalt-derived blue coloring material. Additional texts include Orschall’s Sol sine veste, Henckel on the vitrification of plants, Zimmermann on the manufacture of saffre, and material concerning Chinese and Saxon porcelain. The 1752 French edition was translated by Baron d’Holbach and contains 629 pages and 16 engraved plates.

corundum, history.1, color.4, gems, Fischer, jade, early lapidaries

The references to Theophrastus and the quotations from him, so frequent in the works of later writers on fossils, might lead one to believe that his treatise was universally known and perfectly understood. However, upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that, while he is often cited, he is rarely understood—and indeed, rarely read. Those who freely invoke his name have generally taken little effort to engage with his works, relying instead on secondhand references, many of which originate from Pliny. As for Pliny, anyone familiar with the works of earlier writers knows that, although he deserves credit for the vast repository of knowledge he compiled, his accuracy in quotations leaves much to be desired. It is therefore not surprising that the genuine work of Theophrastus on fossils has been so neglected. Anyone attempting to read even the best editions available today will encounter numerous obstacles: missing words, incomplete phrases, and sentences rendered unintelligible due to preserved errors or poorly executed editorial corrections. Such deficiencies make the treatise challenging to read without extraordinary effort, subject expertise, and frequent consultation of other ancient authors. This treatise, though filled with excellent material, has remained nearly unintelligible for these reasons. Theophrastus was known for his brevity, and where even some of those few words are missing, understanding his meaning becomes no easy task. To address this, I have painstakingly consulted other ancient authors to reconstruct what Theophrastus most likely intended, based on how they addressed the same topics. In these efforts, Pliny—when reliable—has been particularly helpful, as many of his passages are literal translations of Theophrastus, offering insight into how the original text was read before later errors rendered it unclear. In this work, I have employed two main methods to restore and understand the text: comparing Theophrastus’s descriptions with the actual substances he discusses, and cross-referencing his words with those of other ancient authors, particularly Pliny, to reconstruct missing or corrupted passages. With these methods and resources, I have undertaken to produce a new edition of the Greek text. While I have filled in the gaps and corrected errors to make the text clear, readable, and coherent, I have also documented every alteration in the notes—indicating where defects occurred and what changes I made. As for the English translation, my goal has been to make the work accessible to British readers. I have not limited myself to a strict, word-for-word translation; instead, I have aimed to convey both the words and the meaning of Theophrastus. In many instances, I have expanded a single word into a full sentence, adding brief recaps of previously mentioned ideas to maintain the logical flow of the text and ensure clarity. For this edition, I have also included a Greek index of all Theophrastus’s words, for which I am indebted to Mr. Newberry, an account of a newly discovered acid derived from a stone first identified in Sweden, and suggestions for new methods of categorizing fossils—a much-needed improvement in the field of natural history.

gems, gemology, history of gemology, gem testing, mineralogy, early mineralogy, jasper, topaz, amber, gem formation

Sinkankas: Henkel presents his views on the formation of minerals, including coral and gemstones, with extensive annotations by Zimmermann. He recognized five modes of formation: (1) congelation, (2) concretion, (3) vegetation (as in coral), (4) crystallization, and (5) petrifaction. Henkel believed that durable minerals—especially gemstones—were composed of minute particles that grew together into structurally continuous masses or crystals, producing transparency while excluding water. He discusses at length, as does Zimmermann, experiments by Robert Boyle, Francis I, and others on the effects of intense heat on gemstones, describing the behavior of diamond, emerald, ruby, and other gems. Additional topics include Saxon fossil resin (pp. 539–553), the celebrated Saxon topaz (pp. 554–565), and a green jasper bearing “hieroglyphic figures” (pp. 607–619), possibly referring to graphic granite. The work is described by John Ferguson in Bibliotheca Chemica (Vol. I, p. 386), which also notes later editions published in 1747 and in Vienna in 1769, together with biographical and bibliographical information on Henkel and his writings.

gems, history of gemology, diamond, garnet, ruby, sapphire, emerald, pearl, high priest's breastplate, jade, lapis lazuli, jasper, malachite

Sinkankas: Utterly fascinating work in great detail and complexity, attempting to demonstrate the hand of God in every manifestation of the mineral kingdom. Lesser assembled an astounding fund of information culled from hundreds of ancient and modern sources and covering nearly every aspect of geology, mineralogy, paleontology, and gemology. So successful was he, and apparently so careful in his choices and interpretations, that the present work was very commonly quoted by later writers in earth sciences and mineralogy. It is divided into nine books, each with several parts and chapters. Book one explains fundamental interrelationships existing among the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Book two concerns the origin and formation of rocks and minerals. Book three treats occurrences or deposits of mineral materials, including gemstones. Book four discusses the properties of minerals and stones. Book five addresses “precious” and “non-precious” stones, with pp. 343–66 treating precious stones, though restricted to a limited number of the better-known species and varieties, the stones themselves being apportioned among transparent, translucent, and opaque kinds, i.e., diamond, ruby, garnet, hyacinth, sapphire, amethyst, emerald, topaz, opal, and chrysolite as transparent stones, and translucent stones such as carnelian, sard, and other varieties of chalcedony; opaque stones include turquoise, malachite, jasper, lapis lazuli, and jade. This book also contains descriptions of some famous diamonds and other large and valuable gems, as well as data on the precious stones mentioned in the Bible. Also among the stones in this book are those that display remarkable inclusions, fanciful portraits or scenes, fossils, and crystals, and other curious, if not marvelous, mineral materials. Book six treats architectural and monumental stones, and also includes brief discussions of engraved gems, seals, and ringstones, with pp. 832–46 describing and speculating on the true identities of the gemstones in the vestments and breastplate of the High Priest, suitably illustrated with diagrams showing their positions and identities. Book seven concerns the misuse of stones, ostentatious display of gemstones, superstitious belief in their powers, the use of birthstones and planetary stones, and other topics of this nature. Book eight treats artificial stones of all kinds, including gemstones. Book nine concerns “works of wonder” in stone, e.g., Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt!

gems, corundum, history.1

John Woodward’s An Addition to the Catalogue of the Foreign Extraneous Fossils in the Collection of J. Woodward M.D. supplements the catalogue of the extensive geological and natural-history collection assembled by the English physician and geologist John Woodward. Using fossil in its contemporary broad sense for substances dug from the earth, the catalogue records specimens of minerals, rocks, ores, petrifactions, and related natural materials obtained from locations outside Britain. The entries document their names, characteristics, and geographical origins and reflect the growing systematic collection and classification of geological specimens in the early 18th century. Of interest to gemologists are records of crystalline, ornamental, and precious mineral materials, providing evidence for contemporary mineral terminology, specimen provenance, and the circulation of exotic minerals among European collectors.

corundum, Sri Lanka.12, history.1, gems

David Strachan’s “Some Observations on Coral, Large Oysters, Rubies, the Growing of a Sort of Ficus Indica, the Gods of the Ceylanese, &c.” is a short account of natural-historical and cultural observations made in Ceylon and communicated to the Royal Society. The paper discusses several subjects encountered on the island, including coral, unusually large oysters, rubies, the growth of a type of banyan or Ficus indica, and aspects of Ceylonese religion. Of particular interest to gemologists is Strachan’s contemporary account of rubies and their occurrence in Ceylon, placing gemstone observations alongside other natural products for which the island was noted. Published in the Philosophical Transactions, the paper illustrates the Royal Society’s early practice of collecting first-hand reports from travelers concerning the natural history, resources, and peoples of distant regions.

corundum, Burma.12, gems

John Ovington’s A Voyage to Suratt is an account of his journey to India as a chaplain of the English East India Company and of his residence at Surat in the late 17th century. The work describes the voyage, Surat and its inhabitants, religions, customs, commerce, natural products, foods, medicines, and the activities of European and Asian merchants. As Surat was one of the principal ports linking Mughal India with Persia, Arabia, and Europe, Ovington provides valuable observations on its international trade and luxury commodities. Of particular interest to gemologists are references to diamonds, precious stones, pearls, jewelry, and other valuable goods traded through India, providing contemporary evidence for the commercial networks through which gems moved from Indian producing regions to overseas markets.

gems, corundum, history.1, ancient lapidaries, diamond, coral, pearl

Jean-Baptiste Panthot’s Traité des Dragons et des Escarboucles is a late 17th-century French treatise examining traditions concerning dragons and the legendary carbuncle, a brilliant precious stone believed to shine with its own light and sometimes said to occur in or upon the heads of dragons and other creatures. Panthot considers accounts from classical, medieval, and contemporary authorities and discusses whether such creatures and luminous stones could exist in nature. Of particular interest to historians of gemology, the work explores the carbuncle tradition and contemporary ideas concerning exceptionally luminous red gemstones, while illustrating the persistence of fabulous lapidary lore alongside increasingly critical approaches to natural history. It provides an unusual example of the intersection of gemology, zoology, folklore, medicine, and natural philosophy at the end of the 17th century.

corundum, ruby, sapphire, Thailand.12, Cambodia.12, gems

The Natural and Political History of the Kingdom of Siam is the most authoritative of the numerous French accounts of Siam published in the last twenty years of the 17th century as a result of the establishment of formal diplomatic and commercial relations between Siam and France that led to an exchange of a series of embassies during the 1680s between the courts of Versailles and Ayutthaya and led to a spate of missionary activity, prompted chiefly by hopes that King Narai of Siam might be converted to Catholicism. 3 pp. of illustrations, 2 folded maps.