An Irish Countess lent for exhibition to the South Kensington Loan Collection in 1872 the sapphire ring which Lady Scroope threw from the window of the death chamber of Queen Elizabeth to Sir Robert Carey who was waiting below for this signal of the Queen’s passing in order to convey the news post haste to James. In the Sepher of Solomon “which was set together in the desert by the Children of Israel in the Holy Name of God, following the influences of the stars,” a charm for favouring desires, for procuring invisibility, and certain benefits was a light coloured sapphire on which was engraved a mermaid holding a twig in one hand and a mirror in the other. The times for the construction of this talisman (which was to be set in a ring and worn inwards for escaping the eyes of others) was when the moon well aspected, was passing through the 5th, 6th and 7th degrees of the sign Aquarius. Another charm from the same source is the figure of a young man crowned, a circle round his neck, his hands raised in prayer, seated on a four-legged throne supported on the back of their necks by four men standing. The charm is to be cut on a “cornflower” sapphire for purifying the mind and obtaining favours from rulers, scholars, priests and people of wisdom, when the well-aspected moon was passing through the 1st, 2nd, 28th and 29th degrees of Aquarius. In the “Book of Wings,” a charm advised for gaining wealth and prophetic foresight is an astrolabe cut on a sapphire, especially when the moon, well aspected, passes through the 1st, 2nd, 28th and 29th degrees of Aquarius. Another for health, protection from poison, poisonous airs, and tyranny was the Bearded Head of a man or a ram engraved on a sapphire, constructed when the well-aspected moon was passing through 8th, 9th, 25th and 26th degrees of Aquarius. Dreaming of sapphires is said to denote protection, social success, and favour generally.
Beautiful Colour Gems
Kelsey I. Newman Collection
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1. | |Beryl | | 17¼ carats
2. | |Aquamarine | | 59⅛ "
3. | |Pink Sapphire | | 3½ "
4. | |Amethyst | | 28 "
5. |{| |}| 14 "
6. |{| Orange Sapphires |}| 4 "
7. |}| |{| 20 "
8. |}| Golden Sapphires |{| ¾ "
9. |}| |{| 2½ "
10. | | Sunlight Sapphire| | 441⁄16 "
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The Asteriated or Star Sapphire, displaying like the Star Ruby, an opalescent star, is a valued charm for procuring the love of friends, for constancy and harmony.
All shades of blue and green sapphires are under the zodiacal Aquarius. White sapphires (called Leucos sapphires) are under the sign Pisces. Yellow sapphires are under the sign Leo. Amethyst sapphires are under the sign Sagittarius.
CHAPTER XXIX
SARDONYX—SUCCINITE
SARDONYX: SCHORL: SELENITE: COMPARISONS BY MARBODUS AND MALPLEAT: PLINY’S ACCOUNT: ANCIENT USE OF SELENITE: USED IN THE PALACE AT PEKIN: DR. JOHN GOAD AND THE SELENITE OF POPE CLEMENT VIII: SELENITE AMONGST THE GREEKS: TREVISA’S NARRATIVE: SELENITES OR LUNARY MEN: A LOVE ATTRACTOR: A CURIOUS TALISMAN: SELENITE AND PEARLS: SERPENTINE OR HYDRINUS: IDENTIFIED WITH THE TARSHISH STONE: THE OPHITE STONE OF DIOSCORIDES AND PLINY: AGRICOLA KNOWS IT AS LAPIS SERPENTIUS: THE RANOCHIA OF ITALIAN ARTISTS: A CURE FOR RHEUMATIC AFFECTIONS, ETC.: USED BY THE ANCIENTS FOR FASHIONING ORNAMENTS AND CHARMS: A TALISMAN OF CAPRICORN: USED IN THE MAKING OF SCARABS AND CYLINDERS: SOAPSTONE OR STEATITE: ITS EXTENSIVE USE IN ANCIENT EGYPT: PINITE: THE AGALMATOLITE OR PAGODITE CALLED BY THE CHINESE HAO-CHI: LUCKY FIGURES AND EMBLEMS: A SAVAGE FOOD: SPHENE OR TITANITE SPINEL OR BALAS RUBY: VARIETIES: PHENOMENA OF THE SPINEL: ALBERTUS MAGNUS: ANDREA BACCI: THE PALACE OF THE RUBY: MARCO POLO’S STORY: LAL RUMANI OF THE INDIANS: THE KING OF OUDE’S SPECIMEN: THE LAL-I-JALADI: THE BLACK PRINCE’S RUBY AND ITS STORY: SIR JAMES MELVILLE AND QUEEN ELIZABETH’S “FAIR, GREAT RUBY”: LOVE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH FOR SPINELS: ROBERT DE BERQUEN AT THE COURT OF THE KING OF PERSIA: SPINELS AND CORUNDUMS IN RIVER GRAVELS: ELIANUS AND THE STORY OF THE STORK: ITS SYMBOLIC IMPORT: AN ANCIENT MEDICAL CUSTOM: A HEALTH STONE: A GARDEN CHARM: SPODUMENE: HIDDENITE: KUNZITE: RADIUM INFLUENCE ON SPODUMENE AND KUNZITE: SUCCINITE.
SARDONYX. (See [ONYX].)
SCHORL. (See [TOURMALINE].)
SELENITE