The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-22
sEMI-pRECIoUs sTONEa
A Beautiful Collection Given to the Museuu
or Natural History.

OF NAturhA 1hIbtOrys
The American Museum Of Natural History
has received as a gift from Mr.. s. P. Avery OF
this city curious and interesting collection of
semi-precious stones. agates. &c. numbering
24O. once the property OF a gentleman who
lived in the seventeenth or early part Of the
eighteenth century. evidently in Germany. the
only clue to the original collector being the
letters T. H. cut on one OF tho pieces.
Every stone in this collection is cut oval. 10
about ono inch in length. two-thirds Of An
inch in width. and each is fat on the back.
They were all cut to the same shape and size
so that they could easily be slipped into ring
belonging to the former owner and worn from
time to time as he chose.
The collection is contained in asmall wooden
case ten inches by eight by ten. In this case
are seven small drawers painted a light blue.
in each Of which are spaces cut for the stones.
so that each drawer holds from thirty to thirty
five specimens.
The lower drawer contains q series consist
ing Of finer gems set and mounted on jasper.
agate. or other stones OF less value. In this
series there are alunmarines, and IN pnrtikc ,
as%ss equ"j y tst i tie ins .Sre apa. 'As"
fragments of pearly shells. largely ammonites-
In such rocks it sometimes happens that tho
ustre OF The shells Is IN
moval OF the outer or less brilliant layers:
and when this is the case the specimens pos;
sess an elegance and richness Of nacre equal
well known to the geological collectors IS q
material Of this kind: and its compact texture
enables 1t to be cut and polished. which Is
rarely the case with deposits OF this character.
OF curious interest Is the fact that. in con-
nection with the pieces OF TRANSPARENT quartz
or rock crystal. there are several fanciiul OBJ
jccts. such as watercolor kctch Of the cat
erlillar known n the geometra: or measuring
worm. on u leaf: circlct " flowers. with Q
m nogram In the centre. cut out OF sub
color sketch Of two red snapring, beetles
telatcrl; and Maltese cross and staff cut out
OF blue paper. which in turn Is placed on white
Al oy o we erk zine s 20 asa ssas
crrs.s. and several coat Of arms belonging to
tho owner who was evidently q gentleman OF
noble birth.
A curious object is a slab Of rock crystal on
which is mountei a carved ~ with wings Of
gray chaceduny. thoraX OF black onyx. and
head Of nvrnturino or jasper. This ths owner
would place on the water-color sketch OF the
two red swapping beetles.
The larger rnrt OF the collection. however.
consists o simple sami-precious stones. such
as banded. jasperized. and fertilization agates
in great variety: an endless series Of Iaspers.
white, s..".n. and sputted: comedians. mot
tied and polished labradortc or Labrador. spar.
crystals Of quartz resemble ancient Hebraie
characters diabaso. hornblende in quartz.
avrnturIn"; green porphyry. quartz with IN
tTrna s tn"4n g as
thyst and quartz banded pudding stone. quartz
brecria. jasper with cross mnrk'ngs. Egyptian
jnspers with patterns that may be fancied to
pcriZed agate and jnspcrized wood. Chineee
moss agnt.. plasma. rose quartz, chrysoprsss,
mnla"hite and nzuritr. and nys intaalio head
inriSed in cherry agate oDrl in tho mattixs
otherwise known as Hiuther.o!-opal.
GEoEGE FREDERICK kuSZ.