Jewels and Jewelry: 500 Years of Western Jewelry from the World-Renowned Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum

Phillips, Clare. Jewels and Jewelry: 500 Years of Western Jewelry from the World-Renowned Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 2000. First American edition. Quarto. 160pp. Original photo-illustrated dust-jacket over black cloth, with gold lettering on spine. Illustrated endpapers. Pictorial half-title and title page. Frontispiece. This gem of a book sparkles with the diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and exceptional examples of goldsmith’s art in the spectacular collection of England’s grand Victoria and Albert Museum. Ranging from exquisite early medieval pieces to superb examples of the jeweler’s art from the Renaissance through Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau to twentieth-century treasures, outstanding photographs illustrate and illuminate examples of elaborate techniques such as chasing, enameling, and cameo carving. In addition to the full range of precious stones, materials include jet, marcasite, and steel. Russian crown jewels and other famous pieces are shown, encompassing rings, brooches, pendants, earrings, tiaras, buckles, hair combs, and decorative scent bottles. Moderate age-toning and sporadic creasing along edges of dust-jacket. DJ in overall good+, binding and interior in very good condition. g+ to vg. Hardcover. (37854) $40