Smithsonian National Gem Collection-Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewels

The scandals, mysteries, and human stories behind the world’sgreatest gems are brought to life by the curator of the Smithsonian’sNational Gem Collection

Dr. Jeffrey E. Post, curator of theNational Gem Collection for more than 25 years, separates fact fromfiction in an all-new and original book, revealing fresh information andregaling the reader with anecdotes and tales of some of the world’sgreatest and most famous gemstones. Dr. Post is the author of the nowout-of-print book The National Gem Collection (Abrams,1997), which has sold more than 50,000 copies. In this brand-new book,he tells the stories of the Smithsonian’s most famous gems, includingthe Hope Diamond, Star of Asia Sapphire, Carmen Lucia Ruby, HookerEmerald, and Blue Heart Diamond—and also presents the tales, details,and fascinating facts surrounding rarely displayed gems from theSmithsonian vault and additions made to the collection since 1997. Notonly a resource for learning about rare and beautiful gems, the bookalso presents the stories of the people who once owned or wereassociated with these jewels—from ordinary people to kings, emperors,maharajas, celebrities, and captains of industry.

Weight: 906g
Dimension: 218 x 254 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781419745805