Soldering, Brazing and Welding edited by Bernard E. Jones, 1916

This 1899 (republished 1905) book outlines the knowledge at the time of gems and precious stones. It is surprisingly accurate and most is still current. It is a completely revised version of the 1882 book "Handbook of Precious Stones". It covers the science, the origins, the use, and meaning and more of gems. A very thorough book. Any gemologist can benefit from reading this book - and it should be mandatory for anyone studying gemology. It also deals with issues of design and artistic use of gems which sets it apart from any other gemology book I know of [read more]....

One of the few books available on books on wax modelmaking; "Lost Wax Jewelry Making: The Build-up Technique" by Minoru Azama, printed in Japanese by Kashiwa Hobby Books. 1999. Azama process emphasizes building up wax as opposed to starting with a wax blank and carving away material. He uses this approach for organic as well as geometric subjects. The potential of this technique is unlimited! Azama's work is outstanding, some of it so very precise and geometric that one would think it had been carved of hard wax. The book was written for students at the Japan Jewelry Academy, and Mr. Azama has been generous enough to write a complete English translation.

This book, originally published in England in 1913 covers repousse, fine chasing, silversmithing, jewellery and enamelling. It is part of Longman's technical handicraft series of books. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement it details the practical ways that are not touched on as deeply in most texts since. The drawings are excellent, clear and insightful. Like, really excellent. Along with exceptional chasing and repousse information there are surprises, like the many pages of wire and sheet metal strip twisting examples for borders and decoration. The section on enameling is unusual in its early viewpoint, grinding lump enamel being the only option, and firing trivet designs of interest. It has over 378 illustrations, beautifully hand drawn and carried out. File Size: 22MB, 227 pages.

The subtitle of this book is "Chasing and Repousse for Home Art Workers". It was published in 1903. This book deals mostly with chasing and repousse information. Really great engravings and drawings to show tools, exercises and pieces. One of the few to show tool holding positions in the hand. Lots of drawings of chasing tool ends and shapes. There are a number of specific projects described, some hardware oriented. This book is an essential reference for the serious chaser. File Size: 19MB, 62 pages. [read more]....

Published in 1894. This heavily illustrated book, many photographs and line drawings which cover chasing and repousse in depth and with subtlety. The hundreds of excellent line drawings of tools, stamps, and more are excellent. The tool end images are especially clear. There are many photographs of complex chased trays and other objects. This is a great book, and essential for a serious jeweler and chaser. File Size: 68MB, 164 pages.

This is a book of bench tricks, recipes and tricks written in 1892 compiled and published by the Hazlitt company in Chicago. Called 'A workshop companion' it is full of rare, forgotten recipes and arcane jeweler's knowledge. The front page says "compiled from Private Formulae" by the Hazlitt Company in Chicago. It covers "Practical formulae and directions for solders and soldering, cleaning, pickling, polishing, coloring, bronzing, staining, cementing, etching lacquering, varnishing and general finishing of metals as applied to the watch and jewelry trade, together with all the important alloys used by the trade and many miscellaneous recipes" The patination recipes are truly interesting, as are the polishing compounds and alloys including early references to different ways of making blue gold and other odd alloys. A real treat, a book that sells for hundreds of dollars, if you can even find a copy. 128 pages jammed full of information. [read more]....

This 1871 book was compiled from the in-house notes of "one of the largest and most eminent Manufacturing Goldsmiths and Jewellers in this country" which had gone out of business, thus freeing Mr. Collins to reveal the companie's secrets and experience. Much of the book is alloy recipes for all different purposes, such as enameling gold alloys, gold for making pens, gold and silver solders. There are sections on refining, on 'coloring' the gold (depletion gilding). There are 96 pages of alloying and trade secret information, and 36 pages of intriguing advertisements for books being published in 1872. [read more]....

A Complete Exposition of the Art of Engraving on Metals. If you want to learn how to engrave letters, monograms and writing this great book is an excellent guide. This 1892 book addresses what was then a decline in the education of apprentices, and was intended to give aspiring engravers a way to successfully self educate as a letter engraver [read more...]

This rare book first published in 1905 gives a good explanation and introduction to electroplating, with extensive chapters on polishing and finishing work for plating. There are numerous recipes throughout the text and the writer's 'Voice' is clear and readable. While the descriptions are aimed at an electroplating shop of the late 19th century the information can be scaled down for the small shop. All the tools and equipment for each procedure is described in detail. Along with large tanks the author explains making a small tank using glass plates in a wooden box cemented with gutta percha and pitch.... [read more...]

I've always loved this 1916 book. It informed me at the start of my career and taught me much about the workshop, making chasing tools and more. The book is completely full of excellent drawings, wonderful pen and ink sketches, first of tools, then a bench with all dimensions, then a series of step-by-step projects, 23 of them. This book is Manga for jewelers. It is like watching a video, each step is artfully drawn, a wonderful visual cartoon for goldsmithing. Each sketch is accompanied by distilled, clever, text. The projects chosen contain all the skills one needs for making jewelry and basic silversmithing. There are great tips on riveting, soldering, sawing, and so on. I really can't over-emphasize how wonderful and readable the drawings are. The details of... [read more...]

A wonderful 1902 book full of jeweler's secrets and repair techniques. Chapters include bench design, tools, chemicals, tables and recipes, how to use gold testing acids, making rings, eyeglass frame repair, jewelry repair and, oddly, disposing of unclaimed repair work. Keplinger was a good writer and the text is readable and professionally detailed. This book may cover more repair detail well than any other. It is interesting to see how many of the tools are exactly the same, the main differences have to do with power tools like using a bow drill. There are lots of good descriptions, and of tool making and adapting, many of them, like wax boxes, or clamping tweezers are still hand made today. The chemicals for a workshop are described and how to make them, as well as precise directions for pickle, anti-oxidizer, soft solder remover and many others. ... [read more...]

This 1911 book is a great introduction to enameling, and discussion of definitions and techniques of various kinds of enameling. There is insight into how enamels were prepared and delivered, as chunks or large 'plates' that the enamellist broke up and ground for use. This is really gritty, authentic enameling preparation, with all the hand grinding information one would ever want to know. [read more...]

This antique book on enameling gives a clear window into enameling in the 19th century and the debates on legitimizing craft work as fine art equal to painting, sculpture etc in importance and vitality. This book provides a unique philosophical snapshot of the time, with its deep and impassioned arguments for enameling as high art. Quotes from William Blake, Goethe and others give a context for enameled work. Design principles and the history of enameling are dealt with. There is lots of technical information as well. Plenty of discussion of color, and how it is used and works with different kinds of enamel and techniques. There is a really complete approach to enameling and to the preparation of the metal surfaces under them. There are... [read more...]

(subtitled "Being the Art of Ornamenting Thin Metal with Raised Figures") Another book essential for the serious chaser. This one concentrates on details of chasing, tools, working methods. Includes a number of metal working techniques as well, sawing finishing etc. It is 103 pages (and a number of further pages of fascinating advertisements) [read more]....