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The Symbolic Literature of the Renaissance

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[These pages are under construction. Contributions are welcome and will be acknowledged.  For details see here]

Agostini, Leonardo Le Gemme Antiche Figurate Rome: Agostini, 1657

----------------------Gemmae et sculpturae antique Amsterdam: A. Blooteling, 1685

Alārd , d'Amsterdam De Gemmarum Lapidumque formis Cologne: Alopecius, 1539

Albertus Magnus De Mineralibus

-----------------------Book of Minerals trans. Dorothy Wyckoff, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1967

Anon Dictionarium gemmagemmarum Straßburg: Knobloch, 1520

Antonioli, Carlo (1728-1800)Spiegazione di una insigne antichissima gemma del Museo Stoschiano... Pisa?: S.N., 1758

Arnobio, Cleandro Tesoro delle gioie Milan: G.B. Bidelli, 1619

Second (enlarged and corrected) and rarest of all the editions of the popular work. First published in 1602.

Beger, Lorenz Contemplatio Gemmarum Quarundam Dactyliothecae Berlin: Liebpertus, 1697

Belleau, Remy Les Amours et Noveaux Eschanges des Pierres précieuses Paris: Pattison, 1576

------------------------Les Amours et Noveaux Eschanges des Pierres précieuses Paris: Pattison, 1578

Boodt, Anselm Boetius de Gemmarum et Lapidum Historia Lyons: Johannis Maire, 1636.

Second edition

Dioscorides Materia Magica [Book V]

Dolce, Federico Descrizioni di Dugento Gemme Antiche Rome: Fulgoni, 1792

Ficaroni, Francesco (1664-1747)Lettera...sovra un nuovo cameo esprimente Marcello nipote di Augusto Naples: Morandi, 1718 (1726 [printing])

Fletcher, Samuel Emblematical Devices 1810

Gesner, Conrad De Omni rerum Fossilium Genere, Gemmis, Lapidibus, Metallis Zurich: J. Gesner, 1565

Gauricus, Pomponius De sculptura liber Leiden?: S.N., 1609

Hill, John see Theophrastus

Knight, Frederick Knight's Modern and Antique Gems 1828

La Chausse, Michel-Ange de Le Gemme Antiche Figurate Rome: Boemo, 1700

A description of the antique gem collection of the author.

La Rue, Francoise De Gemmis Paris: Loechel, 1547

Lemaire, Jean La Couronne Margaritique Lyons: de Tournes, 1549

Leonardi, Camillo Speculum Palidum Clarissi Artium Venice, 1502

---------------------------The Mirror of Stones London: J. Freeman 1750

First English translation.

La Taille, Jean deBlason des Pierres Precieuses Paris: Bryer, 1574

Licetus, Fortunius Hieroglyphica 1653 

Marbode, Bishop of Rennes (1035-1133) Liber lapidum 1061 - 1081

(The Book of Stones) He also wrote 3 other works on stones, two poems and one in prose.

---------------------------Libellus de Lapidibus Preciosis Nuper Editus Vienna: H. Vietor 1511

---------------------------Opera, Raoul Besiel ed. Rennes: Jean Baudouyn, 1524

---------------------------De Lapidibus Pretiosis Enchiridion, Pictor de Willigen ed. Freiburg: J. Farber, 1531

---------------------------De Lapidibus Preciosis Enchiridion, Pictor de Willigen ed. Paris: C. Wechel, 1531

---------------------------De Gemmarum Lapidumque Pretiosorum formis, naturis, atque viribus eruditum cum primis opusculum, sane quamutile, cum ad rei medicae, turn scrupturaesacrae cognitionem Cologne: H. Fuchs, 1539

The best of the seven sixteenth century editions. Describes each of 60 gems' magical and medical virtues.

---------------------------Dactylotheca, Pictor de Willigen ed. Bale: H. J. Petri, 1555

---------------------------De Gemmis scriptum Evacis regis arabum olim a poeta quodam non infeliciter carmine redditum et nunc primum in lucem editum, Henri Ranzovius ed. Wittenberg: L. Schwenck, 1574

---------------------------De Gemmis scriptum Evacis regis arabum olim a poeta quodam non infeliciter carmine redditum et nunc primum in lucem editum, Henri Ranzovius ed. Lübeck: J. Balthornius, 1575

---------------------------De Gemmis scriptum Evacis regis arabum olim a poeta quodam non infeliciter carmine redditum et nunc primum in lucem editum, Henri Ranzovius ed. Leipzig: G. Defüerus, 1585

---------------------------Liber lapidum seu de gemmis varietate lectionis et perpetua annotatione, Johannes Beckmann ed. Gottingen: J. Chr. Dietrich, 1799

Nicols, Thomas A lapidary: or the history of pretious stones Cambridge: Thomas Buck, 1652

First Original English work on this subject. The classification is taken largely from de Boodt. Further editions in 1653 and 1659

Stosch, Philipp, Baron von, (1691-1757)Gemmae Antiquae CaelataeAmsterdam: Picartum, 1724

Theophrastus of Eresus (c372-287BC) Peri Lithon

(On Stones)

---------------------------Theophrastus’s History of Stones trans. John Hill, 1746

Greek text and English translation on opposite pages.
Another edition 1774

Vico, Enea, (1523-1596)Ex Gemmis et Cameis Antiquorum Aliquot Monumenta Rome: Rossi, 1650?

Wilde, Jacob de Gemmae Selectae Amsterdam, 1703

Published by the author, 50 images