Precious metal, stones and jewellery Books

Book SynopsisThe history of man’s love affair with a completely useless gem. Diamonds are almost completely useless but prized above all other gems. Historically they have attracted crimes of passion and awful cold-blooded efficiency, have bedazzled the greatest filmstars and the most opulent courts, and provided the incentive for adventure, destruction and greed on a monumental scale. No one company is more identified with diamonds than the South African-based De Beers. Until the collapse of the Iron Curtain they controlled the diamond market. After the collapse, they still controlled it – once they had bought up most of the diamonds emerging from the former Soviet Union. They are secretive, discreet and very, very powerful. A strike in Northern Canada could hardly seem to trouble them. Except that it prefigured a diamond rush in a territory over which they had no influence by prospectors they did not own. And the strike promised enormous riches. Here is the true story of the strike that upset the diamond kings, and with it the history of the world’s most acclaimed diamonds, the process by which they are cut, fashioned, smuggled and stolen, the legends and superstitions that are attached to them, the characters who comprise the great diamond prospectors and, above all, of the shadowy hand of De Beers for whom diamonds are forever.Trade Review‘Matthew Hart conveys the glamour, adventure, ruthlessness and even murderous nature of the trade with a novelist’s grasp of narrative…Excellent.’ The Times ‘Wonderfully absorbing.’ Simon Winchester ‘Hart writes, as it were, from the heart…he cares so intimately, knows so much and selects so impeccably…he has sketched a vignette of 20th-century social and economic change from the point of view of a most atypical industry.’ Sunday Times ‘Anyone who looks at the glittering window displays of jewellery shops will think rather differently after reading it.’ Guardian ‘A gripping story of truly global reach…he has kept his tale at just the right pressure and temperature, and the result is a compelling book – think Indiana Jones meets James Bond meets Forbes ASAP.’ Independent on Sunday ‘From the frozen wastes of northern Canada to the beaches of Namibia and on to the fortified diamond houses of London’s Charterhouse Street, this is, fittingly, sparkling stuff.’ GQ

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Book SynopsisTheo Fennell's picaresque journey from the depths of financial despair to the glittering celebrity world of the rich and famous is a comic classic comparable to Three Men in a Boat or Bill Bryson's The Thunderbolt Kid. Despite the occasional success disasters and failures dominate his business life. Nonetheless his jewellery has brought pleasure to thousands and this book will bring pleasure to millions. I ripped through this book like a train, snorting with laughter and delightI cannot recommend the ride highly enough. Stephen Frybut the end result is that Fennell has produced one of the funniest books I have ever read. Utterly beguiling and superbly well-written, it will become a classic of the genre, I predict. William Boyd

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Book SynopsisCapucine Juncker, lecturer and teacher in jewellery history and gemmology. She contributed to publications for experts and the general public on gemstones, jewellery history and designers.

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Book SynopsisBasics Fashion Design 10: Jewellery Design is an introduction to the world of jewellery. It explores how inspiration and research can be used to build a jewellery collection. It provides a brief overview of how the design process evolves, and demonstrates that even on a limited budget it is possible to carve out a niche in this exciting genre. Each chapter includes interviews with some of the world's most famous jewellery designers, giving an insight into the creative process and exploring their brands. Projects and case studies ensure that students are given a practical and inspirational introduction to the world of jewellery design.Trade ReviewThis book is a great resource for all recent jewelry design graduates and those wishing to break into the business and start a collection. Beautifully produced and with insightful, professional commentary, this book offers both encouragement and direction. I wish such a book existed when I was starting out! * Karen Bachmann, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, US *This book provides a fascinating exploration of the history of jewellery markets with an emphasis on the design process from sketch to final piece, with a look at the processes involved in dealing effectively with customers, marketing, pricing and retailing. Case studies and in-depth interviews with successful and talented designers offer an excellent source if you are considering a jewellery designing career and make interesting reading. Basics Fashion Design 10: Jewellery Design by Elizabeth Galton is a must-have book for any jewellery designer or budding jewellery designer. * Making Jewellery magazine, Issue 50, February 2013 *Table of ContentsChapter 1: A Brief History of Jewellery The origins of jewellery Jewellery through the ages Interview: Anne Kazuro-Guionnet Project: Researching references Chapter 2: Jewellery Styles Jewellery categories Catwalk jewellery Fine jewellery Fashion jewellery Interview: Kate Hillier Interview: Lara Bohinc Ethical practice Case study: Ethical design Interview: Stephen Webster Project: The customer Chapter 3: Essential Research Sources of inspiration Trend forecasting Case study: Using trend research Research practices Customer research Interview: Shaun Leane Project: Creating a moodboard Chapter 4: Design Creation The designer's brief Designing from your research Computer-aided design (CAD) Case study: Head of design Designing a balanced collection Interview: Maeve Gillies Project: Planning and recording your work Chapter 5: Design Development and Realization The development team Interview: Theo Fennell Materials and sourcing Pricing designs Sampling Interview: Kasia Piechocka Project: Design Realization Chapter 6: Marketing Creating a lookbook Portfolio Photographing designs Branding Communications Case study: PR consultant and writer Project: Creating a lookbook Chapter 7: A Career in Jewellery Training Contemporary designer Case study: Brand designer Design consultancy Interview: Erickson Beamon Interview: Nadja Swarovski

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Book SynopsisMedieval Jewelry and Burial Assemblages in Croatia analyzes the Croatian archaeological heritage from the 8th to the 15th century, consisting mostly of jewelry (earrings) findings from cemeteries. Stratigraphy is used to establish horizons and phases of material culture, as well as the structure of the burial chambers. All in comparison with materials from neighboring regions of Europe.Trade Review"[This book] is focused on analysis of so-called 'Old-Croat' medieval cemeteries on the Adriatic coast and deep hinterland, with the author aiming to redefine the existing chronologies of those cemeteries through assessment of grave architecture, cemeteries and grave assemblage - with earrings a particular focus. This is a poorly known field as most of the existing literature is written in Croatian, and so this book, if anything, is important for making this field accessible for a wider reading audience. Sokol offers a meticulous analysis of 16 selected cemeteries, revealing an excellent knowledge of the sites and the existing (Croatian) literature." Danijel Dzino, Macquarie University, in: Medieval Archaeology, 61/1 (2017), pp. 194-195.Table of ContentsContents Abbreviations x Introduction 1 part 1 Graves and Material Culture 1 A History of Research 5 The Beginning of Excavations—The First Finds 5 First Classification of Artefacts 5 Modern Research 7 Recent Research (1989–2012) 13 2 Cemeteries and Material Culture 17 Spatial, Temporal and Cultural Characteristics 17 Key Cemeteries 17 3 Cemetery Stratigraphy and the Classification of Material Culture 30 Methodology 30 Cemetery Analysis 31 Relative Chronology and the Interpretation of Groups 82 4 Cemetery Horizons and Material Culture Phases 88 Cemetery Horizons 89 First or Early (Pagan) Horizon (±795–850/855) 89 Second or Middle (Christian) Horizon (}850/855–1090/1110) 93 Third or Late Horizon (±1090/1110–1450) 95 5 The Development of Material Culture: Earrings and Their Evolution 99 PHASE I: Early or Pagan—±?795–850/855 99 PHASE II: Classical—± 850/855–1000 102 PHASE III: Interim ±1000–1090/1110 107 PHASE IV: Late (ca. 1110–1450) 110 6 Grave Architecture 114 General Remarks 114 Interpretation and General Remarks 1 Croat Burial Rites and Belief System 123 Material Culture and Non-Christian Spirituality among Croats—Its Duration and Cessation 124 2 Stone Cists: Late Antique or Early Medieval? 126 3 Burial Customs 129 4 Burial Horizons and Churches 132 5 Cemeteries between the Mountains and the River Sava 136 part 2 Earrings 1 Earrings as Grave Goods 141 List Sites with Earring Finds 142 2 Medieval Earrings in Croatia 144 Omega-shaped Earrings (no. “1”) 144 Plain Links 144 Plain Links with Pseudo S-loop and Clasp (no. “2”) 144 Plain Links with Thinner Hoop and Spiral Cone Ending (no. “3”) 145 Links with Three Interlaced Pendants on the Lower Part of the Hoop and Spiral Hoops on the Links (no. “4”) 152 Earrings with Grape-shaped Pendant with Filigree Ornament (no. “5”) 153 Earrings with Stylized Ear-of-wheat Spike (no. “6”) 158 Plain Links with Thinner Hoop, with Loop and Clasp (no. “7”) 159 Ancient-looking Earrings with Oppositely Placed Buds (no. “8”) 159 Ancient-looking Temple Pendants with Three Rings on the Link and Filigree Ornament (no. “9”) 166 Ancient-looking Earrings with Floral, Omega-shaped Ornaments (no. “10”) 167 Triple-beaded Earrings or Temple Pendants with Bell-shaped Calotte (no. “11”) 167 Finely Cast Grape-shaped Earrings (no. “12”) 174 Filigree Earrings with Almond-shaped Pendant (no. “13”) 174 Earrings with Single, Smooth Beads (no. “14”) 175 Tetra-beaded Temple Pendants with Filigree Ornament (no. “15”) 175 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Single Beads with Filigree Ornament (no. “16”) 186 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Intricately Fashioned, Single Beads with Filigree Ornament (no. “17”) 186 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Single, Smooth Beads (no. “18”) 187 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Twin Beads Decorated with Filigree Ornament (no. “19”) 187 Plain Links with Straight Open Ends (no. “20”) 193 Earrings with Single, Round Beads (no. “21”) 193 Earrings with Three Round Beads (no. “22”) 202 Temple Pendants with Single, Bi-conical Beads between Two Loops (no. “23”) 202 Temple Pendants with Three, Bi-conical Beads Arranged in a Y-shaped Pattern (no. “24”) 202 Earrings Made of Thin Interwoven Wire (no. “25”) 203 Earrings with Thicker Links and S-shaped Ends (no. “26”) 212 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Three Joints (no. “27”) 212 Earrings with Three Joints Decorated with Filigree (no. “28”) 213 Earrings with Filigree and Granulated Ornament (no. “29”) 213 Earrings with Three, Equally Sized, Round Beads Decorated with Filigree (no. “30”) 222 Triple-beaded Earrings with a Larger Central Bead and Filigree Decoration (no. “31”) 223 Table of Absolute Chronology for Earrings—31 Basic Types 229 Conclusion 232 List of Cited References 237 Index of Proper Names 251 Index of Geographical Names 253

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Book SynopsisIn Craftsmen and Jewelers in the Middle and Lower Danube Region (6th to 7th Centuries) Daniela Tănase examines the practice of metalworking with the aim of comparing the archaeological evidence of different peoples in the Middle and Lower Danube in the Early Middle Ages, with a particular focus on blacksmithing, goldsmithing and burial customs. Evidence suggests that the distinction between these specialties was quite fluid, so blacksmiths could craft jewelery, while jewelers were able to create tools and weapons. The study also reveals how the production process and the main techniques employed by craftsmen for the ornamentation of dress and accessories were subject to multiple influences, from Byzantium, the eastern steppe, and the Merovingian kingdoms.Trade Review"recomand lucrarea Danielei Tănase tuturor celor interesați de cercetarea meșteșugurilor prelucrării metalelor și confecționării bijuteriilor la începutul Evului Mediu timpuriu. Metodologia cercetării, tipologia propusă și modul de realizare a acestei monografii poate fi considerat un exemplu de cercetare complexă a unui domeniu de activitate economică a comunităților din sec. VI-VII – materie primă, instrumente, tehnici și tehnologii de producere, bunuri produse și funcționalitatea lor etc." Sergiu Musteata, in Plural, 9 (1), 2021. "I recommend Daniela Tănase's book to all those interested in metalworking and jewelry production in the early Middle Ages. Her methodology, the proposed typology and the organization of this monograph may be given as an example of a complex investigation of the economic activities of the 6th- and 7th-century communities, from raw materials, tools, techniques and production technologies to final products and their functions."Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgements List of Figures Introduction 1 History of the Research  1 Discovery of the First Tombs with Tools  2 The History of Research regarding Burials with Tools (First Half of the 20th Century)  3 The Status of Early Medieval Craftsmen in European Historiography  4 Graves with Tools in Early Medieval Europe. The Case of the Avar Qaganate  5 Tools in Assemblages of the Forest-Steppe Belt of Eastern Europe  6 Early Medieval Metalworking in the Literature Published in Romania after World War II 2 The Archaeology of Metalworking  1 Workshops  2 Graves  3 Hoards  4 Isolated (Stray) Finds  5 Workshops or Funerary Contexts – an Indicator of a Different Cultural Behavior 3 Sources of Raw Materials  1 Extraction and Reduction of Iron Ore  2 Alloys  3 Precious Metals  4 Trade as a Possible Source of Raw Material 4 Metallurgical Technologies  1 Metalworking Techniques  2 Techniques of Non-Ferrous Metallurgy 5 Special Technological Methods for the Manufacture of Clothing and Harness Accessories Made of Non-Ferrous Metals  1 Pressing on Dies  2 Casting in Molds and Casting by the “Lost Wax” Method  3 Granulation and Filigree  4 Silver and Niello Inlaying  5 Gilding  6 Stones and Glass Inserts 6 The Tools  1 Pliers  2 Hammers  3 Anvils  4 Drills  5 Wire-Drawing Plate (or Nail-Making Tool)  6 Tools for Making Nails and Rivets  7 Files  8 Engraving Tools  9 Chisels  10 Punches  11 Mandrels  12 Tweezers  13 Bone Dies  14 Metal Patterns  15 Ladles  16 Crucibles  17 Clay Molds  18 Stone Molds 7 The Ornamentation of the Dies and of Contemporaneous Dress Accessories  1 Ornamental Styles and Motifs of Byzantine Origin  2 Ornamental Styles and Decorative Motifs of Germanic Origin  3 Animal Style II with Dentil Ornamentation  4 Ornamental Styles and Motifs from the Forest-Steppe Zone of Eastern Europe 8 The Cultural and Chronological Framework of the Tool Finds  1 Graves with Tools  2 Settlements  3 The Issue of Ethnicity 9 Metalworking Craft and the Social Status of Blacksmiths and Goldsmiths  1 Metalworking and the Craftsmen’s Way of Life  2 Craftsmen’s Mobility  3 Sketching Regional Styles – a Traveling Sign?  4 Who Were the Craftsmen? 10 Conclusions 11 Catalogue of Finds from Romania  1 Aldeni (Buzău Co.) (Fig. 42.1)  2 Banat? (Fig. 42.2a–c)  3 Band/Bandu de Câmpie/Mezőbánd/Bandorf (Mureș Co.) (Fig. 31–36)  4 Băleni-Români (Dâmbovița Co.) (Fig. 12.1)  5 Botoșana (Suceava Co.) (Fig. 12.2–4, Fig. 17)  6 Bratei/Pretau/Baráthely (Sibiu Co.) (Fig. 3)  7 Bucharest  8 Budureasca, Vadu Săpat Village, Fântânele Commune (Prahova Co.)  9 Cacica/Kaczyka (Suceava Co.) (Fig. 5.3)  10 Cândești (Buzău Co.)  11 Coroteni, Slobozia Bradului Com. (Vrancea Co.) (Fig. 5.4)  12 Corund/Korond (Harghita Co.) (Fig. 5.2.1–2)  13 Costești, Town of Târgu Frumos (Iași Co.) (Fig. 44.1, Fig. 45)  14 Cristuru Secuiesc/Székelykeresztúr/Kreuz (Harghita Co.) (Fig. 5.1)  15 Cucuteni (Iași Co.) (Fig. 5.5)  16 Davideni, Țibucani Com. (Neamț Co.) (Fig. 20–22)  17 Dichiseni (Călărași Co.) (Fig. 44.2a–b)  18 Dodești, Viișoara Com. (Vaslui Co.) (Fig. 15–16)  19 Dolheștii Mari, Dolhești Com. (Suceava Co.) (Fig. 44.3)  20 Dulceanca (Teleorman Co.) (Fig. 14)  21 Dumbrăveni/Elisabethstadt/Erzsébetváros (Sibiu Co.) (Fig. 37.1)  22 Felnac/Fönlak (Arad Co.) (Fig. 37.2.1–10–41)  23 Giurcani, Găgești Com. (Vaslui Co.) (Fig. 7.2)  24 Govora, Mihăiești Com. (Vâlcea Co.) (Fig. 7.1)  25 Gropșani (Dolj Co.) (Fig. 7.4)  26 Izvoare-Bahna (Neamț Co.) (Fig. 7.5)  27 Izvorul Dulce, Merei Com. (Buzău Co.) (Fig. 7.3)  28 Lazuri/Lázári/Neuschlag (Satu Mare Co.) (Fig. 4)  29 Lozna, Dersca Com. (Botoșani Co.) (Fig. 24–29)  30 Morești/Malomfalva/Mühlendorf, Ungheni Com. (Mureș Co.) (Fig. 2.1)  31 Moțca (Iași Co.) (Fig. 2.2)  32 Olteni, Dobrogostea Village, Olteni Com. (Teleorman Co.) (Fig. 2.3)  33 Onești (Bacău Co.) (Fig. 2.4)  34 Poienița, Năruja Com. (Vrancea Co.) (Fig. 2.5)  35 Răcoasa (Vrancea Co.) (Fig. 2.6)  36 Rădeni, Păstrăveni Com. (Neamț Co.) (Fig. 6.1)  37 Sărata Monteoru (Buzău Co.) (Fig. 6.4)  38 Sânmiclăuș/Bethlenszentmiklós/Klosdorf bei Kleinkopisch, Șona Com. (Alba Co.) (Fig. 6.2)  39 Soveja (Vrancea Co.) (Fig. 6.3)  40 Suceava-Șipot (Suceava Co.) (Fig. 18–19)  41 Șirna (Prahova Co.) (Fig. 6.5)  42 Ștefan cel Mare, Sat Gutinaș Village, Ștefan cel Mare Com. (Bacău Co.) (Fig. 23.1)  43 Târgșor (Prahova Co.) (without Illustration)  44 Traian = Parincea (Bacău Co.) (Fig. 23.3)  45 Traian (Neamț Co.) (Fig. 23.2)  46 Udești (Suceava County) (Fig. 43.1)  47 Vadu Săpat, Fântânele Com. (Prahova Co.) (Fig. 43.2) 12 Finds from Central and Eastern Europe  1 Dies and Molds from Central and Eastern Europe  2 Graves with Implements/Tools in Central and Eastern Europe Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSituating jewellery in the cultural economy of the American Southwest, this publication explores Southwestern jewellery as a decorative form in constant transition. It describes this rich tradition as subject to a number of desires, fostered and regulated, at different times, by government agencies, individual entrepreneurs, traders, curators and Native American communities.

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Book SynopsisCelebrating the Milanese house of Pomellato’s fiftieth anniversary, this  book explores its signature vibrant jewels through the lens of 1967, the  year of its founding. The Italian house of Pomellato’s jewelry merges Italian craftsmanship with audacious design. Celebrating the house’s fiftieth anniversary, this book delves into the links between Pomellato’s jewels and the highlights of 1967—the year of the firm’s founding—and beyond. Through iconic images captured by Horst P. Horst, Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh, and more, Pomellato: Since 1967 relates the cultural, technological, and artistic revolutions of the 1960s and onward. From the Vespa to the Summer of Love, from Andy Warhol to Twiggy, this book confronts the great cultural moments of the 1960s with stunning shots of Pomellato’s fine jewelry. Emblematic pop art creations, comic designs, and kaleidoscopic prints echo Pome

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Book Synopsis'Goldstruck: A Life Shaped by Jewellery' sets luxurious imagery of a lifetime's work alongside an honest and often comically autobiographical account of Stephen Webster's career in the jewellery world.

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Book SynopsisFor more than 1000 years Africans from Senegal to the Cape wore bangles, lots of them. The bangle style was African and unique chunky, weighty and solid.Their precious metal was not gold or silver but bronze. They established their own sophisticated technology.This once uniform decorative culture has almost disappeared. In this book, the beautiful, meaningful African bangle culture is recorded.Trade Review“The author explores a hugely important but overlooked aspect of the traditional cultures of Africa and throws fascinating new light on its richness” Malcolm McLeod CBE, formerly Keeper of Ethnography, British Museum;“If you have roots in Africa read this – and be proud.” Schelley Kiah, Film and Television Art Dept. Coordinator, Hollywood.Table of ContentsPREFACE THE BANGLE CULTURE A spontaneous and unique culture Bangles not rings Precious metal; bronze – not gold or silver The African style; weighty, chunky, solid The defining material culture of sub-Saharan Africa THE BRONZE BANGLE What is “bronze”? What is a “bangle”? Bronze bangles – the supply The distribution of metallurgical skills Bangles for everyone The demand How did the bangle culture arise? The bigger story A typology of bronze bangles OTHER MATERIALS Bronze is not the only material The companions – Iron and ivory The outliers – stone and gold Animal, vegetable, mineral, including glass and glass beads LIVING THE BANGLE CULTURE More than decoration Barter: standard of value: store of wealth: medium of exchange Martial uses Beauty: “Il faut souffrir pour être belle” Dance Decline and fall THE BANGLE CULTURE TODAY What is left in Africa? Does the bangle culture survive among African Americans? Books, films, et cetera Bibliography Index Photographs Present-day states of sub-Saharan Africa

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Book SynopsisAntje Krause-Wahl is Professor for Contemporary Art at Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. Her research focuses on Art and visual culture of the 20th and 21st centuries, especially in the US; artist's identity and education; painting and painting theory after 1945; gender studies (queer studies); interaction between art and digital culture; (artist) magazines, fashion and fashion photography.Petra Löffler is Professor for Theory & History of Contemporary Media at Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Germany. Her research focuses on material culture, film and photography, affect theory and media ecology.Änne Söll is Professor for Modern Art History at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. Her areas of research include: art of the Weimar Republic, gender studies (masculinities), portraiture, fashion photography, video installations, artists magazines, museum architecture and period rooms.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments List of Contributors List of Illustrations Introduction, Antje Krause-Wahl (Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany), Petra Löffler (Humboldt-University, Germany) and Änne Söll (Ruhr-University, Germany) Part I: Dissemination of Shine (in Popular Culture) 1. Gloss for all: Shiny Cars and Bemberg Silk in the 1920s, Monika Wagner (University of Hamburg, Germany) 2. Flickering Lights: Shine and Diversion in Weimar Cinema, Petra Löffler (Humboldt-University, Germany) 3. Matte Black/Pan Cake: On the Negation of Shine, Tom Holert (Harun Farocki Institute, Germany) Part II: Temporalities of Shine within Material Cultures: Between Nostalgia, Appropriation and Expropriation 4. Fabric of Light, Surface of Displacement: Lamé and its Shine in Early Twentieth-Century French Fashion, Mei Mei Rado (Parsons School of Design, USA) 5. Gleam: Rebranding Big Steel in Post-war America, Nicolas Maffei (Norwich University of the Arts, UK) 6. The Sheen of Shellac: From Reflective Material to Self-Reflective Medium, Elodie Roy (University of Glasgow, UK) Part III: Glimmer, Sparkle, Glitter – Performing Queer Identities 7. All that Sparkles and Shines: Deco, Dissidence and the Design of Glamorous Modern Interiors, John Potvin (Concordia University, Canada) 8. Cosmic Surfaces: Materiality and Portraiture in Queer Modernism, Antje Krause-Wahl (Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany) 9. Double Shiny: Leigh Bowery’s costume design for Because We Must (1987/1989), Alistair O’Neil (Central St. Martins, UK) 10. “Inevitable Plastic Palace”: A Surface Reading of Andy Warhol’s Factory, Barbara Reisinger (University of Vienna, Austria) Part IV: Shiny Surfaces in the Art of the 1960s (and beyond) 11. Against the Biological Metaphor: Robert Smithson’s Crystalline Figuration, Eva Ehninger (Humboldt University, Germany) 12. Shiny, Glossy and Smooth: Commodity Surfaces in 1960s and 70s Painting, Christian Spies (University of Cologne, Germany) 13. Finish Fetish: Judy Chicago in L.A., Kathrin Rottmann (Ruhr-University, Germany) 14. Shine on: The Mirror Ball as Art Object, Änne Söll (Ruhr-Universität, Germany) Index

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Book SynopsisIf you love Jo Watson, Zara Stoneley and Sophie Ranald, you''ll LOVE Hannah Orenstein!''A good read for the holidays (or lockdown)'' 5* reader reviewLove at First Like is the perfect rom-com for anyone who''s ever looked for love online!''Such a perfect book for this digital age'' 5* reader review''The perfect vacation read!'' 5* reader review''I inhaled this book'' 5* reader reviewWHAT DOES IT TAKE TO FAKE THE PERFECT LOVE LIFE?Eliza Roth and her sister Sophie co-own a jewelry shop in Brooklyn. One night, after learning of an ex''s engagement, Eliza accidentally posts a photo of herself wearing a diamond ring on that finger to her Instagram account beloved by 100,000 followers. Sales skyrocket, press rolls in, and Eliza learns that her personal life is good for business. So she has a choice: continue the ruse or clear up the misun

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Book SynopsisThe Hillwood Museum's Russian silver collection is the largest and most comprehensive outside Russia. 'Russian Silver in America' surveys Russian silver production, its changing forms, styles, imagery and techniques over more than 250 years, drawing on the collections of both the Hillwood and other US museums. A beautifully illustrated book which provides a proper cultural, political and historical context in which to view this fascinating collection, it charts the history of Russian silver through the baroque styles of the reigns of Peter and Elizabeth, the move to Rococo and Neoclassicism under Catherine and Paul, revivalist styles under Alexander I and Nicholas I, 19th-century styles up to Faberge and modernist production. Running throughout is the story of how and why so much Russian silver found its way into American collections - much of it sold by the Soviet government in the 1920s and 30s, as having largely been held in church treasuries and private collections, it was considered to be of no artistic value. A dazzling visual history of Russian silver and a vital record of 18th- and 19th-century silver production in Russia, almost none of which remains in the country today. Features over 160 pieces from the Hillwood Museum and other US collections including objects made for the imperial family and growing merchant class.Table of ContentsForeword by Frederick J. Fisher, executive director, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, Washington, D. C. Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Major American Collectors: Contrasts in Taste and Focus 2 Transition to Western Styles: Silver before 1700 3 Triumph of the Baroque: Peter and Elizabeth 4 Rococo to Neoclassicism: Catherine and Paul 5 Revival Styles from Empire to NeoRococo: Alexander 1 and Nicholas 1 6 The Russian Style to Faberge 7 Faberge to Modernism 8 The Revolution and the Fate of Russian silver Comment on Marks

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Book SynopsisThe Cincinnati Art Museum holds over 400 pieces of silver designed, crafted, and sold in its city. With its founding in 1788, Cincinnati established itself as a leading centre for the luxury silver trade in the United States. Cincinnati Silver: 1788 -1940 traces the silver industry in the Queen City from the early years of production before the Civil War, through the growth of mechanisation and mass production, and into the Arts and Crafts and Art Deco periods. As the first comprehensive volume to be published on this subject in nearly forty years, Cincinnati Silver: 1788-1940 is a vital resource for scholars, collectors, and enthusiasts of American silver, as well as those interested in American material culture and the development of eighteenth - and nineteenth - century commerce. With stunning colour photography and in-depth research, this volume recounts the complex and fascinating story of the development of one of America's most important cities.Table of ContentsContents: Director's Foreword; Curator's Acknowledgements; Introduction to the business of making and selling silver wares in Cincinnati between 1788 and 1940; Essay 1: Establishment and Growth:1788-1865; Essay 2: Adjustment, Heyday and Decline:1865-1940; Catalogue: Cincinnati Silversmiths and Firms with Known Wares; Appendix A - Cincinnati Silversmiths and Firms without Known Wares and Senior Members of Major Firms; Appendix B - Inventory of Cincinnati Art Museum's Cincinnati Silver Collection; Selected Bibliography;Index

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Book SynopsisAndre Chervin (b. 1927) is a world-renowned jeweller and founder of the premiere New York atelier, Carvin French. Recognized today as masters of fine jewelry-making whose dazzling creations have been sold by top retail houses such as Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, Verdura, Cartier, and Bulgari, Chervin and his firm enjoy a stellar reputation among the clients who wear their refined jewellery. Unbeknownst to his many fans, Chervin also created a collection of precious objets d'art, dating from 1957 through 2013. Expressive of his artistic imagination, passion for raw materials and bygone techniques, and inimitable sense of style, these captivating treasures have never been shown to the public. Until now. Enchanting Imagination: The Objets d'Art of Andre Chervin and Carvin French Jewelers introduces Chervin's miniature masterpieces-one-of-a-kind lamps, clocks, boxes, personal accessories, and table decorations fashioned from gold, silver, gems, and minerals, like rubies, diamonds, sapphires, jade, lapis lazuli, amethyst, and quartz. Conceived by Chervin and fabricated under his watchful eye, each object evolved over the course of many years, taking five, ten, even twenty-five years, to complete to perfection. AUTHORS: Debra Schmidt Bach is curator of Decorative Arts and Special Exhibitions at New-York Historical Society. Jeannine Falino is an independent curator, and a leading expert on modern and contemporary jewellery and American decorative arts. SELLING POINTS: . Marks the first complete presentation of this virtually unknown facet of Chervin's career and output since his first years in the USA, a truly opulent and visual tour-de-force . Shines a light on a whole world of jewellery design and making, featuring rare materials and specially-trained artisans, that is fast being lost to the world . Will have key long-term backlist appeal, especially as there is really no other work out these on this unknown side of Chervin's career and this facet of jewellery design, materials, and technique 110 colour illustrationsTable of ContentsForeword by Louise Mirrer; Acknowledgments by Debra Schmidt Bach; A Lifetime of Work by André Chervin; André Chervin and Carvin French: The Story Behind the Master Jeweler by Debra Schmidt Bach; Marvels from Minerals: André Chervin’s Enchanted Objets d’Arts by Jeannine Falino; Creations: Light and Time; Personal and Home Amusements; Nature as a Guide; Endnotes; Glossary; Contributors; Photography Credits.

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Book SynopsisThe Italian goldsmith of the “Paduan School” Giampaolo Babetto is famous for his jewellery – geometrically distinct shapes arranged into refined entities of extraordinary perfection and beauty. However, the artist’s wide-ranging spectrum also includes furniture design, silverwork, sculptures, liturgical utensils, and architecture; even his design drawings possess an autonomous character and artistic value. In addition to Christian iconography, his sources of inspiration include the fresco cycles of Renaissance artist Jacopo da Pontormo but also echo Minimalism, Neoplasticism, Neoconstructivism, and “arte programmata/cinetica.” The Entity of Being presents the first overarching survey of the virtuoso Babetto. The comprehensive catalogue section is complemented by four contributions that provide exciting insights into the work of this universal artist. Text in English, German and Italian.

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Book SynopsisDaniel Kruger’s (b. 1951) new monograph Jewellery – The unexpected meaning of curious things presents his jewellery art of the last ten years. Kruger, who grew up in South Africa, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and taught at the University of Art and Design at Burg Giebichenstein in Halle. He gives things an unexpected meaning. Inspired by movement and his fascination with the visual quality of materials and objects, shapes, and colours, he creates a synthesis of supposed opposites, and it is this new context that elevates these connections into something precious. Through his freedom of thought, he creates a world of objects to be contemplated, but above all to adorn the body and the human being. Text in English and German.

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Book SynopsisOver the course of six decades, the American artist William Harper (b. 1944) has conjured a body of work unique in the realm of jewellery. Masterfully crafted in enamel and gold, his pieces explore multiple realms - from ancient mythology to personal iconography - and draw on influences such as African sculpture, medieval art, and modernist dance. Harper has nonetheless created an oeuvre that is instantly recognisable, branching into formats including paintings, ornamented casks, artist's books, and more. Bizarre Beauty, the definitive study of Harper and his work, includes a full biography by co-editor Glenn Adamson, as well as thematic essays and primary texts. A visual feast, the book provides an intimate look at this brilliantly imaginative artist.

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Book SynopsisBeads are one of the great New Orleans symbols, as much a signifier of the city as a pot of scarlet crawfish or a jazzman’s trumpet. The first in a new LSU Press series exploring facets of Louisiana’s iconic culture, Mardi Gras Beads delves into the history of this celebrated New Orleans artefact.

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Book SynopsisAmazing metal jewelry-no torch required!

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Book SynopsisThis work, published on the 94th birthday of Diana Scarisbrick, honours her extraordinary career as the ‘world’s leading jewellery historian’. Twenty scholars, most of whom have known and benefited from Scarisbrick’s vast knowledge over many decades, have contributed essays to this book.Liber Amicorum centres around the historian to which it is dedicated, Diana Scarisbrick. The work of the twenty contributors owes much to her own pioneering research in the feeled of jewellery history. The book opens with a brief biographical summary of Scarisbrick’s life before exploring her assiduous work in the field of jewellery history. A subsequent bibliography of Scarisbrick’s career work is provided which includes articles, interviews, and books published from 1970 to the present day, and serves as evidence of her eminence. The work as a whole functions as a ‘small token of appreciation for all that she has contributed to the world of jewellery history’. The essays in this publication cover topics that range from Roman jewellery to the contemporary production of jewellery. Not constrained by a focus on one particular time period, these essays are indicative of the breadth of influence that Diana Scarisbrick’s career has had.Contributions cover several different themes: amongst the objects discussed are gems, rings, chalices, bindings and crown jewels. The themes covered include jewel theft, methods of jewellery production, and the collections of individuals. Throughout each essay the insightful historical research of the contributors is beautifully supported by high quality illustrations. These bring the book to life, highlighting the splendour and fragility of some of the objects that are dicussed.Trade ReviewThis well-illustrated book in honour of a leading historian is a welcome addition to the literature on jewellery. * The Burlington Magazine *

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