Refer A.H.Church Books

A.H. Church, Precious stones considered in their scientific and artistic relations London, S. Henson, 1891. VG hardback in dark green cloth with black & gilt. New ed.. With col.plate & woodcuts. Owner's name on front pastedown; slight wear to cloth at head and foot of spine. "With a catalogue of the Townshend collection of gems in the South Kensington Museum".

Beauty, durability, and rarity - such are the qualities characterising the minerals to which we apply the adjective " precious." But the term " mineral," though including all true precious stones, does not exclude some natural products of the earth (such as gold and platinum) which, though precious, are not stones in the ordinary acceptation of that word. Native metals, then, are outside the category of precious stones. On the other hand, at least one animal product, the pearl, is commonly ranked with such minerals as the diamond and the sapphire, associated as it is with these stones in jewellery, and partaking as it does of the characters of beauty and rarity, with a good share of durability.

A.H.Church Precious Stones in Science, Art