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Books > Arts & Architecture > Art forms, treatments & subjects > Decorative arts & crafts
Once, nutmeg was worth its weight in gold. For much of human
history, the tiny Banda Islands in Indonesia were the only source
of this esteemed spice. From the age of the Silk Roads through to
the mid-19th century partial shift of production to the Caribbean,
covering battles between the Honourable East India Company and the
Dutch Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, this book traces the story
of nutmeg, revealing its extensive and often surprising influence
over conflict, politics, social mores, and Western society.
Beautiful antique silver, gold, enamel, bone, ivory, treen and
Tunbridgeware graters and rasps demonstrate how much nutmeg was
valued throughout history. This book gathers pictures of some of
the finest examples world-wide, alongside mechanical and base metal
graters and spice containers. It illustrates, and provides useful
information on, the history of pomanders which were associated with
nutmeg, as this spice was once thought to ward off pestilence and
plague. Combining the social history of nutmeg with explanations of
the spice production and transportation process, and illustrating
in detail examples in international nutmeg grater collections and
museums, this book is the essential reference work for collectors,
antique dealers and auctioneers.
Superbly illustrated with more than 150 specially commissioned
colour photographs, this book beautifully demonstrates the dazzling
strengths of Morocco's crafts - a centuries-long tradition which
intermingles influences from both Black Africa and Islam, and from
the spectacular cultural alliance of the Moors and the Spaniards.
This pioneering account, based on the author's own first-hand
research, examines vibrantly coloured textiles, jewelry, leather,
wood and metalwork and an enormous variety of pottery and ceramics.
Complete with guidance for collectors and a uniquely revealing
analysis of the belief systems, festivals and ceremonies to which
the arts relate, this book by the leading scholar in the field will
be invaluable to collectors, designers and all those looking for
original decorative ideas.
Since first published in 1991 Pocket Jackson's, as it is most often
called, has enjoyed enormous success and is constantly rated as a
best seller in the Arts & Antiques category. During the last
twenty three years important developments have taken place in the
Hallmarking system. Most notably the introduction within Europe of
a universally accepted system of marking has lead not only to the
addition of new marks, but also, to a change of status of several
historic marks. This edition brings up to the present day all the
date letters and commemorative marks. It also includes the recently
introduced marks for Palladium and a section illustrating the Assay
Office identification marks of those countries that are signatories
to the International Convention marking system. In addition and of
importance are the changes made in the early cycles of Dublin date
letters which result from recent research by silver scholars in
Ireland.
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