Bøker av Diana Scarisbrick

The distinguished private collection, known as the Griffin Collection, comprises in its entirety examples of every category of ring - signet, devotional, memorial, decorative - dating from antiquity to modern times.

Published to accompany a major exhibition at the State Museums of the Moscow Kremlin organised jointly with the Indo-Russian Jewellery Foundation, this lavishly illustrated catalogue brings together royal, ceremonial, and personal Indian jewels to showcase the entire range and variety of the jeweller's art in India.

The political and social worlds of France, England and Vienna during the period which began with the French Revolution and ended with the Second Empire are engagingly seen through the eyes of a highly intelligent Scotswoman, Margaret Mercer Elphinstone, who weds Charles de Flahaut, a Napoleonic general, against the wishes of her admiral father.

Diamond jewelry has long been symbolic of political power and authority in Europe. This book focuses on the individuals who commissioned and wore extraordinarily precious diamond ornaments from the mid-14th century until the `democratization¿ of diamonds that followed the opening of mines in South Africa in 1867. This enthralling story covers seven centuries of history, showing the way in which rulers such as Charles V of France, Queen Elizabeth I of Great Britain, Louis XIV of France and Catherine II of Russia used diamond jewelry to reinforce their power and authority. As works of art, these precious creations mirror the successive styles of each period ¿ late Gothic naturalism, the culture of the Renaissance, Baroque splendour, Rococo elegance and the Imperial grandeur of the First and Second Napoleonic Empires. The recurring themes ¿ religion, sentiment, heraldry, military glory, miniatures and cameo portraiture ¿ are reinterpreted by each generation of jewelers. Like royal dress, diamond jewelry was worn to dazzle and impress ¿ at weddings, coronations, christenings and state visits ¿ and was presented as gifts reflecting princely generosity. Over the centuries, these displays proved remarkably successful as instruments of government, symbolizing the pride and glory of a nation. Arranged chronologically, Diamond Jewelry includes some legendary masterpieces of diamond jewelry. Written by an acknowledged expert, it offers an intriguing overview of one of the world¿s most precious gems.

The Beverley Gem Collection at Alnwick Castle is one of the most distinguished in Great Britain still in private hands. It reflects the longstanding interest of the English nobility in both assembling and commissioning gemstones.

Devotes itself exclusively to rings, considering them thematically rather than chronologically. This title considers rings in all their forms and makes us delight in them as works of art, and makes their context come alive through paintings, drawings and vivid quotations.