Quantcast
  Due to a new server, slow response may occur for which we apologize Portal logo
Login/Register
Bactrian Gold Treasure from Afghanistan, coming soon....
/gemstones/king-gems-decorative-stones/page_353 - 2
 

Vitrum Annulare, Pastes

Vitrum Annulare, Pastes Page of 384 Vitrum Annulare, Pastes Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
346                   NATURAL HISTORY OF GEMS.
cracks and flaws, are merely stuck on, often imperfectly, without any attempt at a finishing polish.*
I shall conclude this notice with an observation which will be extremely unpalatable to most amateurs—that, amongst the myriads of pastes passing current for antique, hardly one in a hundred is really genuine. This opinion is based upon the following grounds, suggested to me by experience : in the handfuls of gems perpetually brought in for sale to the Roman antiquari by the peasants, just as they find them in turning over the ground of their vinej^ards and gardens on the ancient site of the city, pastes hardly ever occur without some portion of the original bronze ring adhering to them : the loose gems being invariably stones which from their base quality and careless execution had evidently belonged to the poorest classes. Besides, as these valueless imitations were never worn by people who could afford rings of gold or even of silver, there is no room for the saving clause that they might have been drawn from their settings and thrown away, as was evidently the case with real gems when in barbarous times the jewels they adorned were melted down for the sake of the metal. Again, whoever has seen a paste in its original setting must be aware of the impossibility of extracting it without breakage. Had paste intagli been as common in Roman times as they are in dealers' trays, they would have formed the majority of the gems turned up in the soil covering ancient towns, whereas the direct contrary is the case. All pastes, therefore, that appear never to have had an ancient setting, ought to be regarded with the utmost suspicion.
* Tassie, a Scotch sculptor established in London (1760-90) brought out a series of pastes to the number of 15,000. They include the entire Stosch gems, with a selection from all the other cabinets then existing. Raspe was employed to write the catalogue, illustrated with etchings by Allan of Edinburgh, slight tliough well-drawn : the most serviceable work the student of the Glyptic art can possess.
Vitrum Annulare, Pastes Page of 384 Vitrum Annulare, Pastes
Suggested Illustrations
Other Chapters you may find useful
Other Books on this topic
bullet Tag
This Page