George Frederick Kunz

George Frederick Kunz was an American mineralogist, gem specialist, collector, and prolific writer on precious stones. He worked for Tiffany & Co. and also served as a special agent for the United States Geological Survey, roles that joined commercial expertise with scientific and historical study. Shakespeare and Precious Stones, published by J. B. Lippincott in 1916, applies that knowledge to literary history. Kunz catalogues Shakespeare's references to diamonds, pearls, rubies, sapphires, turquoise, agate, amber, coral, and other materials, then considers what those references reveal about the period's trade and beliefs. The book belongs beside his larger studies The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, The Magic of Jewels and Charms, and The Book of the Pearl. Shakespeare and Precious Stones therefore represents a characteristic Kunz project: close attention to mineral objects broadened through folklore, commerce, art, and cultural history.