The Online Books Page

Precious stones

Here are entered mineralogical and technological works on potential and actual engraved stones and jewels. Antiquarian or artistic works on engraved stones and jewels are entered under Gems.

See also what's at Wikipedia, your library, or elsewhere.

• Minerals

• Gems

• Precious stones -- Collection and preservation
• Precious stones -- Early works to 1800
• Precious stones -- India
• Precious stones -- North Carolina
• Precious stones -- Therapeutic use
• Precious stones -- United States
• Amber
• Corundum
• Diamonds
• Opals
• Precious stones, Artificial
• Turquoise

• Gem minerals
• Gemstones
• Jewels
• Semi-precious stones
• Stones, Precious

• Theophrastus on Stones: Introduction, Greek Text, English Translation, and Commentary (Columbus, OH: Ohio State University, 1956), by Theophrastus, ed. by Earle Radcliffe Caley and John F. C. Richards (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• A Book of Precious Stones (New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1910), by Julius Wodiska (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• The Chemistry, Properties and Tests of Precious Stones (1911), by John Mastin (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• Diamonds and Precious Stones: A Popular Account of Gems (New York: Scribner, Armstrong, and Company, 1876), by Louis Dieulafait, trans. by Fanchon Sanford (page images at MOA)
• Diamonds and Precious Stones: Their History, Value, and Distinguishing Characteristics; With Simple Tests For Their Identification. (second edition; London: J.C. Hotten, 1867), by Harry Emanuel (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Diamonds, Pearls and Precious Stones (Boston: Printed for Smith Patterson Co. by Griffith-Stillings Press, 1913), by Marcell Nelson Smith
  • multiple formats at archive.org
  • page images at HathiTrust
• Gems and Gem Minerals (Chicago: A. W. Mumford, 1903), by Oliver C. Farrington (multiple formats at archve.org)
• Gems and Precious Stones (Sydney: C. Potter, 1896), by Henry G. Smith (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Gems and Precious Stones of North America (New York: The Scientific Publishing Co., 1890), by George Frederick Kunz (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• Gems: Notes and Extracts (London: Bell and Daldy, 1871), by Augusto Castellani, trans. by Mrs. John Brogden (page images at HathiTrust)
• The History of Jewels, and of the Principal Riches of the East and West (1671), by Samuel Chappuzeau (page images at farlang.com)
• The Natural History, Ancient and Modern, of Precious Stones and Gems, and of the Precious Metals (London: Bell and Daldy, 1865), by C. W. King (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• The Natural History of Gems or Decorative Stones (1867), by C. W. King (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• The Natural History of the Precious Stones and of the Precious Metals (London: Bell and Daldy, 1867), by C. W. King (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• A Popular Treatise on Gems, in Reference to Their Scientific Value: A Guide for the Teacher of Natural Sciences, the Lapidary, Jeweller, and Amateur, Together with a Description of the Elements of Mineralogy, and All Ornamental and Architectural Materials (New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1859), by Lewis Feuchtwanger
  • multiple formats at archive.org
  • page images at HathiTrust
• A Popular Treatise on Gems, in Reference to Their Scientific Value: A Guide for the Teacher of Natural Sciences, the Lapidary, Jeweller, and Amateur, Together with a Description of the Elements of Mineralogy, and All Ornamental and Architectural Materials (third edition; New York: the author, 1867), by Lewis Feuchtwanger
  • multiple formats at archive.org
  • page images at HathiTrust
• Precious Stones (New York: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1908), by Wilbert Goodchild, contrib. by Robert Dykes (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Precious Stones: A Book of Reference for Jewellers (Philadelphia and London: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1903), by Wallis Richard Cattelle (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Precious Stones and Gems, Their History, Sources and Characteristics (sixth edition; London: G. Bell and Sons, 1898), by Edwin W. Streeter (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Precious Stones Considered in Their Scientific and Artistic Relations; With a Catalogue of The Townshend Collection of Gems in The South Kensington Museum (new edition; London: Printed for the Committee of Council on Education, by Chapman and Hall, 1891), by A. H. Church (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Precious Stones Considered in Their Scientific and Artistic Relations; With a Catalogue of the Townshend Collection (new edition; London: H.M. Stationery off., 1905), by A. H. Church (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• Precious Stones in Nature, Art and Literature (Boston: Bradlee Whidden, 1886), by S. M. Burnham (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Minerals and Cut Stones: Reference Book Containing Condensed and Simplified Descriptions From Standard Works on Mineralogy (1923), ed. by Mengo L. Morgenthau (page images at HathiTrust)
• Shakespeare and Precious Stones (Philadelphia and London: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1916), by George Frederick Kunz (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• British and Exotic Mineralogy (interactive combined edition of British Mineralogy and Exotic Mineralogy, originally published 1802-1817), by James Sowerby, ed. by Nicholas Rougeux (Javascript-dependent illustrated HTML at c82.net)

• Natural Gemstones, by United States Geological Survey (illustrated HTML at USGS)

• An Essay about the Origine and Virtue of Gems (London: Printed by W. Godbid, 1672), by Robert Boyle (page images at farlang.com)
• A Lapidary: or, The History of Pretious Stones (Cambridge: Printed by Thomas Buck, 1652), by Thomas Nicols (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)

• A Treatise on Diamonds and Pearls (fourth edition; London: E. Lumley, n.d.), by David Jeffries (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)

• All About Gold, Gems, and Pearls (Also Minerals Generally) in Ceylon and Southern India (second edition, 1888), by A. M. Ferguson and John Ferguson (multiple formats at Google)

• History of the Gems Found in North Carolina (Raleigh: E. M. Uzzell and Co., 1907), by George Frederick Kunz (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)

• Precious Stones: For Curative Wear and Other Remedial Uses, Likewise the Nobler Metals (1907), by William Thomas Fernie (multiple formats at archive.org)

• Natural Gemstones, by United States Geological Survey (illustrated HTML at USGS)
• An Overview of Production of Specific U.S. Gemstones, by Gordon Austin (illustrated HTML at USGS)

• The Tears of the Heliades: or, Amber as a Gem (New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons; London: S. Low, Marston and Co., 1900), by William Arnold Buffum (multiple formats at archive.org)

• Precious Stones and Gems, Their History, Sources and Characteristics (sixth edition; London: G. Bell and Sons, 1898), by Edwin W. Streeter (multiple formats at archive.org)

• Diamond Design (1919 original text with notes and corrections by editor in 2001), by Marcel Tolkowsky, ed. by Jasper Paulsen (illustrated HTML with commentary at folds.net)
• Fire in the Earth: The Story of the Diamond (New York and London: Harper and Bros., c1942), by James Remington McCarthy (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• The Book of Diamonds: Their Curious Lore, Properties, Tests and Synthetic Manufacture (New York: Hearthside Press, 1940), by John Willard Hershey (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• The Diamond (London and New York: John Lane, 1911), by Wallis Richard Cattelle (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Diamond Design: A Study of the Reflection and Refraction of Light in a Diamond (London: E. and F. Spon; New York: Spon and Chamberlain, 1919), by Marcel Tolkowsky
  • multiple formats at archive.org
  • page images at HathiTrust
• Diamonds (London and New York: Harper and Brothers, 1909), by William Crookes (multiple formats at archive.org)
• The Great Diamonds of the World: Their History and Romance (London: G. Bell and Sons, ca. 1882), by Edwin W. Streeter, ed. by Joseph Hatton and A. H. Keane (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Papers and Notes on the Genesis and Matrix of the Diamond (London et al: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1897), by Henry Carvill Lewis, ed. by T. G. Bonney (illustrated HTML pages at farlang.com)
• Diamonds and Precious Stones: A Popular Account of Gems (New York: Scribner, Armstrong, and Company, 1876), by Louis Dieulafait, trans. by Fanchon Sanford (page images at MOA)
• Diamonds and Precious Stones: Their History, Value, and Distinguishing Characteristics; With Simple Tests For Their Identification. (second edition; London: J.C. Hotten, 1867), by Harry Emanuel (multiple formats at archive.org)
• Diamonds, Pearls and Precious Stones (Boston: Printed for Smith Patterson Co. by Griffith-Stillings Press, 1913), by Marcell Nelson Smith
  • multiple formats at archive.org
  • page images at HathiTrust

• The Diamond: A Study in Chinese and Hellenistic Folk-Lore (Field Museum of Natural History publication #184; 1915), by Berthold Laufer
  • multiple formats at archive.org
  • page images at HathiTrust

• Knaves of Diamonds: Being Tales of Mine and Veld (London: C. A. Pearson, 1899), by George Chetwynd Griffith, illust. by E. F. Sherie and T. Ayton Symington (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
• Renshaw Fanning's Quest, by Bertram Mitford, illust. by Stanley L. Wood (Gutenberg text)

• Precious Stones (New York: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1908), by Wilbert Goodchild, contrib. by Robert Dykes (multiple formats at archive.org)

More items available under narrower terms.