Home » categories » rare book library » Castellani. Gems.
This chapter is tagged (labeled) with: 

Quiritine

Prase Page of 243 Rubellite Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
RUBELLITE.
187
LXXXV.
RUBELLITE.
This mineral, but little known, is so called from rubeus, which signifies red, and λίθος, a stone.
It is however called sibarite, because found chiefly in Siberia.
The rubellite has all the properties of the tourmaline, and its colour varies from hyacinth to pink ; sometimes, when shaded from the light, it seems blue.
The rubellite is found in the United States of America as well as in Siberia. Feuchtwangor speaks of one of these stones found there whose form is a perfect prism, dark red on one side, and dark green on the other; it was found in 1850, and exhibited at New York in 1853.
Such stones are also found at Chesterfield, in Massa­chusetts.
The Siberian rubellite cuts smooth and has often a milky-white iridized light. When transparent it is quite clear, acquires a beautiful polish, and may be called rather a valuable gem.
A rubellite, when pure and of a perfect colour, may be worth as much as 7,000 lire.
Those found in Maine are rare.
It has been thought by some that the rubellite is the lyncurium of the ancients, but their properties are not similar.
We have rubellite« which are certainly antique, but none of them are found engraved.
Prase Page of 243 Rubellite
Suggested Illustrations
Other Chapters you may find useful
Other Books on this topic
bullet Tag
This Page