This is the place to start. A quick history. Some terminology and explanations. Where to find them. Just enough info to get you up and running in no time. ENJOY!
BASICS
- Brief History
- Four Key Terms
- Terminology
- The stones
- Subjects
- Artists
THE BASICS
These pages are primarily for those just starting with ENGRAVED GEMS (like MyI was a few years ago). When one finds an engraved gem that attracts their attention and starts to research it’s history, it’s a whole new world. New terms, phrases, names. They see or hear words, some of which may be vaguely familiar, like “intaglio” and “cameo” and then “glyptic” and “dactyliotheca” pop up. WOW! It takes time to look these things up, even with today’s very powerful internet search engines. GEM ENGRAVING is a small field and definitions and explanations of the terms used by those in the field are not always easy to find — they just use them.
This is a starting place; an aid to that initial part of the journey. Here are explanations and introductions – on the types of stones, the subjects, the artists and collectors. The history. Engraved gems have had their highs and lows. The pieces can be hard to find, but there are hordes of tens of thousands — where are they? One can collect at all levels — from an inexpensive piece of Victorian jewelry at an antique show to an auction at Christie’s (a single stone recently brought over $2,000,000!). There are not always answers, but leads on where to find them are offered. BASICS is a jumping off place.
Take the leap! OR, it may be too BASIC for you; if so, go on to some of the other menu pages which provide more in depth coverage of the ENGRAVED GEM.
In any case, ENJOY!