A Text-Book of Precious Stones for Jewelers and the Gem-Loving Public Part 16

Part I. deals with the general characters of precious stones.

1. Natural characters and occurrence.

2. Applications of Precious Stones.

3. Cla.s.sification of Precious Stones. 106 pages.

Part II. Systematic Description of Precious Stones, Diamond, Corundum Gems, Spinel, etc. 450 pages.

Part III. Determination and Distinguishing of Precious Stones. 20 pages.

Appendix, 26 pages. Pearls and Coral.

Bauer is exhaustive in his descriptions of the more important precious stones and he also describes briefly very many little known and little used gem minerals.

On forms of cutting he is old-fashioned.

First 68 pages given to explanation of characters used in identifying stones. Good.

On the Process of Cutting. Pages 79-87. Good account. More practical than most books give.

Careful accounts of occurrence of precious stones with maps.

Character of the occurrence of diamond in India, Brazil, and Africa, quite in detail.

The student who wishes to master the subject of gems cannot afford to neglect Bauer.

For those who read French, the latest, the most complete and thorough book on gems is Jean Escard's _Les Pierres Precieuses_, H. Dunod et E.

Pinat, Paris, 1914.

It is a large and finely ill.u.s.trated work.

The author has really outdone Bauer. The detail in regard to diamonds especially is very fine. Even the use of diamonds in mechanical ways is very completely gone into and also details in regard to cutting diamonds are very completely given. It is to be hoped that an English translation will soon become available.

Another large and thoroughgoing work is Gardner F. Williams' _The Diamond Mines of South Africa_, MacMillan, N. Y.

Dr. Geo. F. Kunz's _Gems and Precious Stones of North America_, The Sci.

Pub. Co., N. Y., 1890, 336 pages, 8 colored plates (excellent ones too), many engravings, is a very complete account of all published finds of precious stones in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, giving a popular description of their value, history, archeology, and of the collections in which they exist, also a chapter on pearls and on remarkable foreign gems owned in the United States. Many rare and little known semi-precious stones are described here. Dr. Kunz is also the author of several more recent gem books notably _The Magic of Jewels and Charms_ and _The Curious Lore of Precious Stones_, Lippincott, Phila.

Among books on engraved gems is the old _Hand Book of Gem Engraving_ by C. W. King; Bell & Daldy, London, 1866, and one by Duffield Osborne; Henry Holt & Co., N. Y. Another book on this subject is _Engraved Gems_ by Maxwell Somerville; Drexel Biddle, Phila.

For those who wish still further references the following older works will prove interesting.

_Precious Stones_, by W. R. Cattelle; Lippincott, Phila. _Precious Stones_, by W. Goodchild; D. Van Nostrand & Co., N. Y.

Julius Wodiska, of New York, has also written an interesting work on precious stones, _A Book of Precious Stones_, Putnam's, 1907.

Still older works are _Precious Stones and Gems_ by Edwin W. Streeter; Chapman & Hall, London, 1877. This is a book of 264 pages with nine ill.u.s.trations. It contains much of value and was unsurpa.s.sed in its day.

Its first-hand accounts of numerous important, even celebrated diamonds and other precious stones will always make it valuable to the student of gems.

Another book by the same author is _The Great Diamonds of the World_; Geo. Bell & Sons, London, 1882; 321 pages. Not ill.u.s.trated. Its t.i.tle adequately describes its contents. It is an excellent work. The author even traveled in India tracing the history of some of the famous diamonds that he describes.

_Diamonds and Precious Stones_, by Louis Dieulafait published in its English translation by Scribner, Armstrong & Co., N. Y., 1874, is another old but interesting work. It has 292 pages and 126 engravings on wood. It gives a fine account of diamond cutting as practiced at that time. There is also an excellent history of the production of artificial precious stones to that date.

_The Natural History of Precious Stones and of the Precious Metals_ by C. W. King, M.A., Bell & Daldy, London, 1870, is rich in references to cla.s.sical literature.

One or two interesting monographs on precious stones have been written and _The Tourmaline_, by Augustus C. Hamlin is one of these. Mr. Hamlin became interested in gems because of his accidental discovery of some of the fine tourmalines of Maine. His _Leisure Hours among the Gems_ is also very readable. Jas. R. Osgood & Co., Boston, 1884. It deals especially with diamond, emerald, opal, and sapphire. He gives a good account of American finds of diamond, and a long account of European regalia. The book is full of interesting comment and contains many references to older authors.

_The Tears of the Heliades_ or _Amber as a Gem_, by W. Arnold Buffum, G.

P. Putnam's Sons, N. Y., 1900, is as its name implies a monograph on amber.

A good work on the history of precious stones and on historical-jewels is _Gems and Jewels_ by Madame de Barrera; Richard Bentley, London, 1860. It deals also with the geography of gem sources. An interesting chapter on "Great Jewel Robberies" is also included.

Of still greater age but of great interest is John Mawe's old work, on diamonds and precious stones. In it the author discusses in a conversational style that is very attractive much of the gem lore of his day and shows a profound knowledge of his subject, a knowledge that was evidently first hand and practical, _A Treatise on Diamonds and Precious Stones_, by John Mawe, London. 2nd edition. Printed for and sold by the author.

For readers of French, Jean Baptiste Tavernier's _Voyages_, in six volumes, will be vastly interesting. Tavernier made six journeys to India and the East between 1640 and 1680 as a gem merchant during which time he purchased and brought back to Europe many celebrated gems including the famous French blue diamond which he sold to Louis XIV. and which was stolen at the robbery of the Garde Meuble during the French Revolution. Tavernier describes these famous stones and many others that he was privileged to inspect in the treasuries of the Grand Mogul. He also describes interestingly and at great length the curious manners and customs of the people of the East. _Les Six Voyages de Jean Baptiste Tavernier_, etc., Nouvelle edition, Rouen, 1724.

Pliny's _Natural History_, to go much further back, is full of references to gems, and gem students should run through it (it is to be had in English translation) for such interesting bits as that in which he describes the belief that quartz crystal results from the effect of very great cold upon ice, a belief which Pliny himself is careful not to subscribe to. He contents himself with relating what others believe in this regard.

Both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament afford many references to gems with which the eager student of the subject should be familiar.

"She is more precious than rubies" (referring to wisdom) is but one of these.

In conclusion the author hopes that this little text may lead a few to pursue further this most fascinating theme and that the pursuit may bring much of pleasure as well as of profit.