Aurelio's Library
All these texts are available as free PDFs on my Google Drive. Please use and share them with any and all who are interested or could benefit from the knowledge of these arts. If there are any access issues, please send me an email and I can provide a copy for you.
With many, many heartfelt thanks to THL Nicolo Santorio, without whom I would not have accessed half of these digital treasure troves.
Faceting and Lapidary
"Diamond Cuts in Historic Jewellery 1381-1910", Herbert Tillander, 1995
An incredibly thorough overview of the design and use of diamonds in jewelry over a huge span. By far the most detailed text on this subject I know of.
"A 15th-Century Polishing Machine for Gemstones Attributed to Henri Arnaut", Karl Shmetzer, 2019
A discussion of one of several 15th-century devices to facet gemstones and how they could connect ancient gemcutting to the 17th century methods.
Goldsmithing and Metalwork
"On Divers Arts", Theophilius Presbetyr, 1122
A spectacularly thorough technical treatise on painting, glasswork, and goldsmithing, written by a (suspected, at least) practicing artist.
"Mediaeval European Jewellery", R. W. Lightbown, 1992
A vast survey of medieval jewelry of all kinds from 800 - 1500 AD, and a catalogue of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection.
Glasswork
Experimental archaeology investigating the origins of Lampworking. Summary forthcoming.
Experimental archaeology investigating the origins of Lampworking. Summary forthcoming.
Experimental archaeology investigating the origins of Lampworking. Summary forthcoming
"Chemical Manipulations", Michael Faraday, 1827
Out of SCA period but extremely useful for anyone who is interested in pre-modern chemistry, alchemy, or laboratory science. A lot of it follows directly from things that *were* practiced in period as well. This is the principle source that started my investigation of the blow-lamp and lampworking
History and evolution of early glassmaking (and materials theory) and its use as synthetic gemstones.