Art Nouveau Jewelry

By Vivienne Becker
Thames and Hudson Ltd
E P Dutton New York
1985 ISBN 0-525-24345-3

Thames and Hudson writes:

Jewelry was one of the purest, and most successful, expressions of the Art Nouveau movement. It captured the atmosphere and the passions of the fin de siecle, and the moral and artistic freedom which characterized the period. Fresh designs and motifs were created with intense excitement shared by artists all over the world. Sensuous and organic plant forms surged with new life; the female form struggled towards a new freedom, suggesting a long hidden eroticism; dragonflies and insects became creatures of beauty and fantasy; sunsets and changing seasons reflected the symbolic view of art in nature, borrowed from the Japanese. The artists and goldsmiths who created this jewelry were trained in the nineteenth century disciplines; their technical mastery allowed them to experiment with new materials and enamelling processes to indulge their fantasies. This combination—an atmosphere of ideas for a new art and the unrivalled technical skill of the makers—produced some of the most evocative jewelling art of modern times.

The book deals with major makers in France, and then follows the parallel modern movement that spread through Europe and the United States, acquiring different decorative characteristics, from England, Germany and Austria to Belgium, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. For the collector, comprehensive biographies are included, drawing together for the first time full information on over 300 designers. The Guide to Identification, including over 200 maker’s marks and signatures, forms an invaluable aid to identifying and appreciating the jewelry. Each part of the book is illustrated by a series of dramatic color and black and white plates: the striking variety of the pieces shown, from the organic beauty of the work of Lalique to the simpler, more geometric Liberty designs, is clear evidence of the international scope and appeal of Art Nouveau jewelry.

Indicator Minerals

What are the indicator minerals for prospecting diamond?
Well-trained geologists look for garnet, chromite, chromian diopside, ilmenite, clinopyroxene, olivine, zircon, and diamond as indicator minerals. The minerals may also be found as inclusions in a diamond.

Doing Business In South Asia

World Bank / IFC writes:

This is the third report in the series of South Asia regional reports based on the methodology of the annual global Doing Business report. The South Asia report covers 8 countries. The top ranked countries in the region are the Maldives (53) and Pakistan (74), followed by Bangladesh (88), Sri Lanka (89), Nepal (100), India (134), Bhutan (138), and Afghanistan (162). As a region, South Asia performs comparatively well in business start-up and protecting investors. It lags far behind, however, on the ease of employing workers, enforcing contracts, and trading across borders. In-depth examination of indicators in key cities provides helpful details that can be seen in the tables below. Hyderabad has the most business-friendly regulations in India, Karachi in Pakistan, and Dhaka ranks best in Bangladesh.

More info @ http://www.doingbusiness.org/southasia

Quartzsite

Quartzsite is the annual host of one of the largest gem, mineral and fossil shows in the United States. Since the 1960s rockhounds have been moving to Quartzsite, in Western Arizona each year in large numbers to display their merchandise. During the month of January and February over a million plus visitors may descend on this town to sell their merchandise. In January, Quartzsite becomes the fourth largest city in Arizona because of the show. Most of the shows are outdoors, with dealers setting up booths outside or in tents right next to their trailers. Quartzsite is more casual than Tucson and the dealers enjoy it because of the relatively low set up costs. This enables them to sell goods at fair prices to buyers. During the show vendors come from all over the world to display all kinds of gem and jewelry crafts. There are daily field trips for those who are interested in rockhounding. The show also has special demonstrations on lapidary techniques sponsored by the Quartzsite Roadrunner Gem and Mineral Club. The show is a big event for cutters so that they are able to display diverse assortment of cut gems, minerals and fossils. At the same a lot of Quartzsite goods may get resold at the Tucson Gem and Mineral show.

Quartzsite show schedule:
- Desert Gardens International Gem & Mineral Show: January 2 – February 28
- Tyson Wells, Rock-Gem-Mineral Show: January 7 – 16
- Tyson Wells “Sell-A-Rama” Rocks, Gem-Arts-Crafts Show (January 21 – 30)
- PowWow Gem & Mineral Show: January 26 - 30

More info @ www.desertusa.com/Cities/az/quartzite.html

Wall Street Movie

Memorable quote (s) from the movie:

Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas): Hiya, Buddy.

Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen): Gordon.

Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas): Sand bagged me on Bluestar huh? I guess you think you taught the teacher a lesson that the tail can wag the dog huh? Well let me clue you in, pal. The ice is melting right underneath your feet. Did you think you could've gotten this far this fast with anyone else, huh? That you'd be out there dicking someone like Darien? Naw... you'd still be cold calling widows and dentists tryin' to sell 'em 20 shares of some dog shit stock. I took you in... a NOBODY! I opened the doors for you... showed you how the system works... the value of information... how to *get it*! Fulham oil, Brant resources, geodynamics and this is how you fucking pay me back you COCKROACH! I GAVE you Darien! I GAVE you your manhood I gave you EVERYTHING! You could've been one of the great ones Buddy. I look at you and see myself... WHY?

Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen): I don't know. I guest I realized that I'm just Bud Fox... and as much as I wanted to be Gordon Gekko, I'll always be Bud Fox.

The Federal Trade Commission’s Guide for the Jewelry, Precious Metals and Pewter Industries

FTC writes:

23.22 Disclosure of treatments to gemstones.

It is unfair or deceptive to fail to disclose that a gemstone has been treated if:

(a) the treatment is not permanent. The seller should disclose that the gemstone has been treated and that the treatment is or may not be permanent;

(b) the treatment creates special care requirements for the gemstone. The seller should disclose that the gemstone has been treated and has special care requirements. It is also recommended that the seller disclose the special care requirements to the purchaser;

(c) the treatment has a significant effect on the stone’s value. The seller should disclose that the gemstone has been treated.

Note to 23.22: The disclosures outlined in this section are applicable to sellers at every level of trade, as defined in 23.0(b) of these Guides, and they may be made at the point of sale prior to sale; except that where a jewelry product can be purchased without personally viewing the product, (e.g., direct mail catalogs, online services, televised shopping programs) disclosure should be made in the solicitation for or description of the product.

More info @ http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/guides/jewel-gd.htm

Ivory

A History and Collectors Guide
Thames and Hudson Ltd
1987 ISBN 0-500-23505-8

Thames and Hudson writes:

More than three thousand years ago, the Old Testament records, “King Solomon made a great throne of ivory….” from which he summoned to his court ‘the navy of Tarnish, bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes, and peacocks…’

Throughout history, from the ancient civilizations to the present day, the subtle glowing color and sensual tactile surface of ivory has lent a special quality to objects as diverse as religious images and thimbles, palace furniture and paper knives. Ivory is also extraordinarily tractable—it can be sliced paper thin, sawn, carved, etched, or turned on a lathe, stained or painted—and so flexible that an ivory riding whip was once described as being ‘as finely tempered as a Toledo sword blade, and as supple as a willow switch.’

The astonishing range of this remarkable substance has, for the first time, been fully described in Ivory: A History and Collector’s Guide, illustrated with copious reproductions, many in color. A team of distinguished contributors have combined their considerable expertise to unfold the story of ivory carving, from Paleolithic Europe, through the Hellenistic and Roman worlds to the Middle Ages and right up to the twentieth century Europe. There are chapters on Europe, the Near East and India, the Far East and South East Asia, North America—and Central and South America where bone was used instead of ivory. The contributors reveal the beauties of ivory—in rich patina of antique figures or the intricacies of miniature medieval plaques—and describe the different kinds of ivory that have been used.

This unparalleled survey also includes a description of the ivory trade, an illustrated glossary, sections on collecting ivory and its care and repair, a guide to collections open to the public, a bibliography and—most notably—an invaluable detailed time chart which highlights every period in the long and exotic history of ivory.

Richly documented and superbly illustrated, Ivory: A History and Collector’s Guide is not only the definitive reference work for collectors and dealers but a sumptuous source book for students of the decorative arts, ivory carvers and all who appreciate the unique beauty and fascinating history of ivory.

Modified Asterism

It is possible to imitate asterism in gemstones by engraving several sets of parallel lines or grooves in flat or curved surfaces of the stones or cutting six-rayed star on the surface of a suitable cabochon, with tools such as rotating or vibrating iron rod. The technique is widely used in producing man-made asterism in rubies, sapphires and other colored stones including glass. A modified technique may be used to produce fake asterism in mainstream colored stones. The fake star stones are sold worldwide, but may be seen more frequently in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Burma, East Africa, Europe and United States, the colored stone centers of the world. An interesting fact is asterism in natural stones is due to the presence of needle-like inclusions, but they are not seen in these fake cabochons. In addition, the so-called called stars are not properly oriented and overall the stones look asymmetrical and lack the natural appearance.

Well informed buyers will always look carefully for the right star pattern, color, and finally, the top and base. In most cases the producers of fakes are not properly identifying the minerals before engraving, because highly radioactive crystals or crystal fragments have been used and sold with an incorrect but common mineral name. If in doubt always consult a reputed gem testing laboratory.