The Magic and Science of Jewels and Stones

The Magic and Science of Jewels and Stones is Isidore Kozminsky's illustrated book on gems, with 39 specimens in colour and 22 other illustrations. One passage quotes Samuel Beal's account of four kings who brought golden dishes, then silver ones, then vessels of crystal, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amber and ruby, and of four stone bowls joined into one. Another follows black stones, including the Matsebah found engraved with the signs of the Zodiac, and a black stone from near the Tigris in Bagdad that shows ten of the twelve zodiacal signs.

The book also describes minerals themselves. Obsidian is called a natural volcanic glass, very hard and brittle, coloured black, pink, green, grey, striped or spotted, it is described as useful for knives and mirrors, and Pliny is cited on how it got its name. A further passage goes through the stones of the Breastplate and the Zodiac and asks which stone the Shoham was, citing the Hebrew Bible, the Authorized Version, Josephus and the Vulgate.