plate to be pinned
before publish
before publish
Plate from The Curious Lore of Precious Stones
George Frederick Kunz, 1913
reproductionpre1931-platerights: pending
The gems and their old stories, from the great gemologist’s book of beliefs — birthstones, talismans, and the histories people wore.
Why it matters
Kunz catalogued what stones MEANT as carefully as what they were; the lore is labeled lore, and it is glorious.
Notice
The plate’s reverence — superstition given the full scientific-atlas treatment.
Meaning
People have always asked stones to keep their secrets.
Source
George Frederick Kunz, The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, Philadelphia/London: J.B. Lippincott, 1913 (Smithsonian Libraries copy) view source ↗
Material
colored-stone
Rights: PENDING. A named source is not the same as registry clearance. Basis on file: PD-pre1931. Shown for this preview only; not offered for sale.
The Gem Plates · The Famous Stones