Jewels and Jewelry [Hardcover]

Clare Phillips (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000

This gem of a book sparkles with the diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and exceptional examples of goldsmith's art in the spectacular collection of England's grand Victoria and Albert Museum.

Ranging from exquisite early medieval pieces to superb examples of the jeweler's art from the Renaissance through Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau to twentieth-century treasures, outstanding photographs illustrate and illuminate examples of elaborate techniques such as chasing, enameling, and cameo carving. In addition to the full range of precious stones, materials include jet, marcasite, and steel. Russian crown jewels and other famous pieces are shown, encompassing rings, brooches, pendants, earrings, tiaras, buckles, hair combs, and decorative scent bottles.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

England's Victoria and Albert Museum, specializing in the decorative arts, has one of the finest jewelry collections in the world. This oversize volume draws from that collection to celebrate jewelry from the last 500 years, from the Middle Ages to the modern and avant-garde styles. The book is divided into three sections. The first part describes the materials used in jewelry making; the second offers a chronological history of jewelry pieces; and the third covers manufacturing and distribution, including hallmarks. The text is very informative, but, of course, it is the photographs of the jewelry that most capture the reader's attention. Although the paper stock and binding are not of the quality of some coffee-table books on the topic, the photographs are well reproduced, and the range of jewelry shown makes the volume useful both for browsing and as a survey of the field. From medieval religious pieces, including a skeleton in an enameled casket to wire-art jewelry made from oxidized silver, there is something here for everyone to covet. Ilene Cooper

About the Author

Clare Phillips, a leading authority on jewelry who has written widely on the subject, lives in England.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill; First Edition edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823025845
• ISBN-13: 978-0823025848
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,713,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous Jewelery, Gorgeous Photography, January 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Jewels and Jewelry (Hardcover)

I must have a dozen books on jewelery and the history of jewelery. This is the best yet. First off the book very clearly organized. On any page that you might flip to there is a short chapter with a title, photos and supporting text. For instance, the section called "Jewelled Bouquets" shows five full color photos of flower themed broaches, descriptions of each an a well written history of the beautiful little things. Much of the jewelery is supported with photos of period portraits, to further illustrate how the pieces were worn. It's a wonderful, wonderful book and I'm not surprized to find it's from the fabulous Victoria and Albert Museum.

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the Great jewelry book, December 24, 2007

By 

maxi-jewels (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jewels and Jewelry (Hardcover)

This is a rich & informative antique jewelry book. The contents are categorized under materials, styles vs periods and the details of manufacturings. Great for jewelry designer and those who interested in jewelry history. One of my favorite jewelry collectibles!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superbly presented work of informative scholarship., September 4, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jewels and Jewelry (Hardcover)

In Jewels And Jewelry, Clare Phillips surveys 500 years of western jewelry drawn from the internationally famous Victoria and Albert Museum collection. Phillips covers the materials used, presents a chronology of style, and provides information on manufacturing and distribution including hallmarking and design registration, shops, the tracing of a jewel's history, jewellery boxes, and more. All manner of jewelry is examined, including famous pieces of royalty, and anonymous representatives of unusual design. From rings, brooches, necklaces and pendants to earrings, tiaras, hair combs and buckles, each piece showcased illuminates and documents this collection as one of the finest and most comprehensive in the world today. Jewels And Jewelry is a highly recommended acquisition for personal, professional, academic, and community library collections.