900c Nicols, Thomas. (fl. 1659) A lapidary: or, the history of pretious stones: with cautions for the undeceiving of all those that deal with pretious stones.

Cambridge: Printed by Thomas Buck, Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge, 1652

$3,000

Quarto, 5.25 x 7 in. First edition. A4, B2, C-Z4, Aa-Ii4. The table of stone classification is bound near the front. This copy is bound in worn and rubbed sheepskin. The endleaves are printers’ waste from a sixteenth century Latin text. A blank leaf in the front is covered in contemporary writing, consisting of a partial table of contents for stones beginning with the letters “a” and continuing through “m.” Other notes also appear. The leaves are in good condition with only marginal browning and worming that does not affect legibility of the text.

Nicols wrote on gems. “He studied for some time at Jesus College, Cambridge. He wrote a curious work on precious stones which was thrice published in his lifetime, each with a different title.” (DNB) His Lapidary is incredibly interesting, it goes far beyond simply describing the stones. It actually describes how imitations can be produced: “Artificers are wont to make artificial marbles after this manner […] that various colour being added, this substance must be agitated and stirred up and down with a rod, that the veins may the better be disposed for a marble or a statue; and when this is thoroughly dry […] it will receive an excellent polish.” (See page 25.) He also explains how to make “pretious stones in their enclosures appear fairer and larger then they truly are. There are subtil frauds about gemmes, by which Jewellers can make them seem much larger than they are.” (page 21) In his chapter on loadstones, Nicols describes the effect of these earth magnets “drawing iron to themselves because stones live, and have need for nourishment for their augmentation and conservation.” (page 198)

Wing N-1145