Useful Knowledge: Volume 1. Minerals: Or, a familiar account of the various productions of natureBingley, William
History
Useful Knowledge: Volume 1. Minerals: Or, a familiar account of the various productions of nature
Bingley, William
Commercial products; Geology, Economic; Natural history
Jasper occurs in the Pentland hills, near Edinburgh, and in several
other parts of Scotland; in the Shetland Islands, and Hebrides. It has
been observed in most of the countries of the Continent; and is found,
in great abundance, in Siberia.
97. RED JASPER _is an opaque red stone which is found embedded in red
clay─ironstone in Baden_; and is cut and polished for various ornamental
purposes. There are extant many fine antique engravings on red jasper.
98. EGYPTIAN PEBBLE _is a kind of jasper, that is found in globular or
rounded pieces, and is distinguishable when cut or broken, by its
numerous colours, arranged in concentric stripes or layers_. It is
chiefly brought from Egypt; and, as it is capable of receiving a fine
polish, and when polished is very beautiful, it is manufactured into
several kinds of ornamental articles. From the great abundance in which
it is supplied, it is, however, much less valuable than carnelian (93).
The colours of the Egyptian pebble frequently assume very singular
forms. There was one in the Leverian Museum which exhibited, in the
centre, the resemblance of a pantaloon, or a man wearing a fool’s cap.
99. STRIPED, or RIBBON JASPER, _is marked with alternate stripes of
different colours_; and is found in Siberia, Saxony, and even in the
Pentland hills, near Edinburgh. It receives an excellent polish, and is
frequently cut into the tops and bottoms of snuff─boxes. The red and
green layers of jasper, being well defined and regular, this kind is
used for several purposes of ornament, particularly for cameos.
100. _AGATE, or AGATE JASPER, as some mineralogists denominate it, is a
semi─transparent stone of the quartz family, which is capable of
receiving a high and very beautiful polish._
_These stones are always found in a shapeless or massive form, and
nearly of all colours, except bright red and green._
The name of agate is derived from the river Achates, in Sicily, in the
vicinity of which these stones were obtained by the ancients in great
abundance. They are now found in several parts of Scotland; in Iceland,
Saxony, and Hungary; and they are occasionally brought into Europe from
China and the East Indies.
Agates are used in several kinds of ornamental work, and particularly
for necklaces and seals. They are occasionally made into cups, the
handles of knives and forks, hilts of swords and hangers, and the tops
and bottoms of snuff─boxes. The less ornamental kinds are manufactured
into small mortars, which are employed by enamellers and others, for
pounding such substances as are too hard to be reduced in any other way.
They are also made into instruments for grinding colours, and into
polishers for the glazing of linen. In the Electoral Cabinet at Dresden,
and the Ducal Cabinet in Brunswick, there are several elegant vases
formed of agate.
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