The Science Of Gems, Jewels, Coins And Medals, Ancient And Modern

A treatise on Gems naturally embraces the precious stones, or jewels; for although the word has been for ages conventionally applied to stones with some subject or device engraved upon them, - such as the ring- stones alluded to by Maecenas, one of the first connoisseur gem-collectors on record, in his epistle to Horace, "the Romans had no name for jewel but gemma, nor for jeweller, except gemmarius. The Romans of the present day, however, apply the word gioia to jewel, as in the pretty Italian ballad, where it is used figuratively : " Benedetta sia la madre, chi te fece cosi bella; Tu sei la gioia mia."

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Table of Contents:

Copyright

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

GEMS.

INDEX.