Gem and Lapidary Materials: For Cutters, Collectors, and Jewelers

A handbook surveying the history and common materials used in the lapidary arts which include jewelry, carving, and ornamental objects. Zeitner (the "First Lady of Gems") has created an important resource for gem collectors and jewellers, detailing work in quartzes, cabachon, phenomenal gems, metallic and organic gem materials, and man-made varieties such as zircon. The volume features several hundred black and white photographs of gems and the artwork proceeding from them, but we wished more were in color since the stunning facets were lost on the drab camera's eye. Paper edition (unseen), $40.00. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.