Generations of Jewelry. From the 15th to the 20th century by Egger Gerhart - 1988

West Chester, Pennsylvania: Schiffer,1988, 1988 HC, DJ, 9 1/4 x 12, marbled eps, frontis, illust color and b/w (470 examples on 436 plates), 219 pp, bibliog, index. Covers the concept of jewelry,its amuletic character, the goldsmith's art, types of jewelry and jewelry for the rising middle class and its chronological development from the 15th and 16th centuries. Changes in jewelry and its design are shown in a section on ornamental engravings of the 16th to 18th centuries. and ornamentation as expression of the times, the types of jewelry, and jewelry as a status symbol for the rising middle class. The next section shows the chronological development of middle class jewelry from the 15th and 16th centuries to Art Deco. For an overview of the changes in jewelry and its design, a section or ornamental engravings of the 16th to 18th century is shown. While the middle classes were forbidden to wear valuable jewelry, they substituted less costly materials such as glass and paste for precious stones, and gilded silver for gold, and in the 18th century, synthetic materials, especially the Strass stone which ultimately came into favor in high fashion and court circles. The rest of the book is filled with illustrations with many of famous paintings and portraits showing the figures wearing the jewelry and the rest showing the jewelry itself, in all its glory. F/F. Hardcover. Fine/Fine.