Gem and Ornamental Materials of Organic Origin is a unique source of information on this neglected topic of gemology. Presented in full color, with over 200 stunning photographs for ease of reference and identification, the book allows material to be recognized by sight, avoiding the usual gemological tests, which can ruin them. A comprehensive list of materials is included and each is presented with details or its origin, availability and conservation status. Examples of the uses of each material are given, along with a brief history of their use.
Gem and Ornamental Materials of Organic Origin is a unique source of information on this neglected topic of gemmology. Presented in full color, with more than 200 stunning photographs for ease of reference and identification, this book allows materials to be recognized by sight, avoiding the usual gemmological tests. A comprehensive list of materials is included and each is presented with details of its origin, availability, and conservation status. Organics occur in modern and antique jewelry, in decorative item,s and in some furniture, and this book draws all the information together to provide the first complete overview of the subject.
Most museums collections contain a wide variety of natural materials, and a diverse range of knowledge is necessary to keep so many types of objects at their best. This book studies the composition, structure and properties of natural materials such as wood, paper, amber, coral and feathers, and discusses the potential hazards they face, as well as the appropriate conservation techniques to use for each. Providing plenty of detail in an easily accessible format, Natural Materials is a useful resource for students, professionals and collectors alike.
This edition has been completely revised to cover the latest methods of gem enhancement and identification, as well as the most up-to-date test instruments and laboratory techniques.
This second edition 'Gemmology' has been expanded and updated throughout by the well known writer and editor of Butterworth-Heinemann's gemmology series, Peter Read. This is a much needed update of a classic text and new syllabus information and sample examination theory papers for the Gemmological Association's Preliminary and Diploma courses are included. The additions also incorporate more recent developments, such as the introduction of synthetic moissanite and the De Beer's instruments for distinguishing between natural and synthetic diamonds. 'Gemmology' still serves as a useful reference guide for gemmologists detailing the latest natural and synthetic gem materials and is an invaluable text for anyone in the gemmological profession.
Tortoiseshell, derived from marine turtles, has been used in decorative work for thousands of years. It featured in trade with, amongst others, the Babylonians and the Romans. In Europe it was used for furniture veneer in the seventeenth century, while in Polynesia it was used for personal adornment although turtles were viewed as sacred. Today it is important to be able to recognise tortoiseshell as all marine turtles are protected species and subject to global trade bans. This book covers the historical use of tortoiseshell in various parts of the world; how tortoiseshell artefacts were made, from moulding to pique work; turtles species, their habitats, and their conservation status today; the identification of tortoiseshell, and how to distinguish it from imitations, notably horn or the early plastics such as celluloid; testing methods , both simple and advanced and finally, information on laws and regulatory bodies. This is the only book that covers tortoiseshell from all aspects.
How we understand our shared and individual heritage, interpret and disseminate that knowledge is increasingly central to contemporary society. The emerging context for such development is the field of heritage science. Inherently interdisciplinary, and involving both the Arts and Humanities, engineering, conservation and the digital sciences, the development of heritage science is a driver for change; socially, economically and technically. This book has gathered contributions from leading researchers from across the world and provides a series of themed contributions demonstrating the theoretical, ethical, methodological and technical methods which lie at the heart of heritage science. Archaeology, conservation, museology, the arts, forensic sciences, and heritage management are represented through collaborative research with specialists in applied technologies including object and terrestrial laser scanning, multi-spectral imaging, visualisation, GIS and 3D-printing. Together, the chapters present important case studies to demonstrate the recent advances and best practise within the discipline, highlighting the value of digital transformation across the heritage community that includes objects, monuments, sites and landscapes spanning two million years of natural and cultural history from all over the world. Visual Heritage: Digital Approaches in Heritage Science is aimed at a broad academic and practice-led readership, which extends across many disciplines and will be of considerable value to scholars, practitioners, and students working within heritage and computer science at all levels. The content, which applies heritage science across two million years of cultural history will be appreciated by a general audience, as well as those wishing simply to explore the vast range of potential technical applications across all the disciplines represented in the book.
From their creation in the maw of mollusks to lustrous objects of infatuation and conflict, a revealing look at pearls’ dark history. This book is a beautifully illustrated account of pearls through millennia, from fossils to contemporary jewelry. Pearls are the most human of gems, both miraculous and familiar. Uniquely organic in origin, they are as intimate as our bodies, created through the same process as we grow bones and teeth. They have long been described as an animal’s sacrifice, but until recently their retrieval often entailed the sacrifices of enslaved and indentured divers and laborers. While the shimmer of the pearl has enticed Roman noblewomen, Mughal princes, Hollywood royalty, mavericks, and renegades, encoded in its surface is a history of human endeavor, abuse, and aspiration—pain locked in the layers of a gleaming gem.
X-radiography of textile objects reveals hidden features as well as unexpected components and materials. This book looks at the techniques used in X-raying textiles, showing how digitisation and digital image manipulation can yield maximum information about the subject.
