Pearl Books & Resources

[Pearls Dubai]

What are the best books and resource materials available on pearls in general as well as the differences between the various types of pearls? I am looking for resources for myself, who is serious about getting in the pearl industry.

I am living in the Middle East so my opportunities for getting these materials is primarily limited to the internet (eg. Amazon, etc.). Any help or recommendations in this area would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

What types of books on pearls are you looking for ?? Her is a list to help you on your start

Oh and almost all of these books I bought one used book site or another such as Amazon, ans alibris and have very good lucj withthese sites as for price and delivery was just as scheduled! there are a lot more sites to check as well I just do not know of any off the top of my head....

Anyhow here is a starting list for you!

Pearls: A natural History By Neil Landman

The Book of the Pearl, By George Frederick Kunz

THe Book of Pearls, by Joan Younger Dickinson

The Pearl Book, By Antionette Matlins

Pearls, Fred Ward

Oh and The Pearl by Sylvia Malaguzzi

Hope it helps!

Ashby

 

[Pearls Dubai]

Thank you very much Ashby! You're leads and recommendations are both helpful and appreciated. I have searched every major English bookstore in the city to find nothing specific to pearls in stock or readily available. I think Amazon will be the answer.

I have enrolled in the Pearls course with GIA but struggling to find a Pearls Stringing class at a convenient location and time.

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

Your Welcome Pearls Dubai,

Also Check out some used book sites. that is whre I found most of my Books, also check with your local big chain bookstores companies such as Chapters, Waldens or Barnes a Noble, as long as the Book is not out of print they can ususally order it for you no problem all you ususally ned is the ISBN number as well as Title of the book

I have also had some luck checking out local bookstores that sell new and used books sometimes they can get their hands on Out of print stuff too.. the Most luck I has was used booksites on the web,

Its a lot of footwork to get the Book collection going, just keep proding away and before you know it you will have more books than shelfspace!

Hope this helps as well

Ashby

 

[KAC]

If you are looking for used or out of print books - by far the best resource is a company from my old home town called AbeBooks.com. They don't sell any books themselves, but they let used book stores upload their inventory.

Here is a search for Cultured Pearls - but try all sorts of combinations like freshwater pearls, black pearls, Tahitian pearl etc.

 

[Caitlin]

As this is a question that aises often- what are the books?- I vote for a separate forum for books, videos and maybe other media on pearls, and discussions of them. this is actually a huge and consuming area (for some folks!)of pearliana!

We have listed all these before and now they are lost, unless you get the right search term.

Caitlin

 

[jerin]

Books on pearls

Books on pearls

In my Pearl Buying Guide references are made to a magazine or book with the title "Pearls of the World". Unfortunately no publisher or publishing year is given and it is some Japanese pearlexpert who has written an article or several articles. Does anyone know about this book/magazine?

I have searched Amazon but not found anything. It is difficult to find other books on pearls, mostly I get novells that include the word "Pearl". I read Caitlin Williams post on this thread and do agree with her suggestions: would it be possible to get a list in this forum for help/guidance to find good books on pearls? By the way - I got my book through GIA.

Thanks for comments and advice how to go about....

Inge Jernberg

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

Hi Caitlyn,

that would be a great Idea! Since I am one of those people who has in the past asked for books and how tos..... This board is growing quickly and Knowign where to go is just a small step on the way to being introduced to the wonderful world of pearls...

I am also really happy and proud to be part of such a wonderful "community" where people are so willing to help others out! Its such a great Feeling!

Okay sappy monment.. BUt in re-reading some old posts as I do when I look to see if the question has been asked before or not. Just wnted to complimetn everyone here!

Ashby/Satine

 

[jshepherd]

Try this, Jerin. It is available for $30.

http://www.biblio.com/books/12166940.html

 

[purepearls]

My absolute favorite pearl books are The Pearl Book, 3rd Edition: The Definitive Buying Guide: How to Select, Buy Care for & Enjoy Pearls by Antoinette L. Matlins and Pearl Buying Guide: How to Evaluate, Identify and Select Pearls & Pearl Jewelry by Renee Newman. These books are great resources and very easy to read!!

They can be purchased together on Amazon for very cheap in paperback http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

 

[Hyun-Yoon Yoon]

I think that it is good to keep the following reading precedence.

The precedence is absolutely my thought.

1. Pearls by Fred Ward

2. Pearl Buying Guide by Renee Newman

3. Cultured Pearls by Andy Muller

4. The Pearl Book by Antoinette Matlins

5. The Book of the Pearl by Kunz

6. more!

For me, too small character is not easy to read.

Tks

 

[jerin]

Interesting books on pearls

Interesting books on pearls

Hello, members of the forum!

Here are some more books that are very interesting, unfortunately they all have rather small block letters.

Pearls
their origin, reatment & identification by Jean Taburiaux

The Story of Pearls by Shohei Shirai

The Book of Pearls by Joan Younger Dickinson

Pearls
Natural, Cultured and Imitation by Alexander E Farn

The Pearl Trader by Louis Kornitzer

The Pearl King by Robert Eunson


I have bought these books from Alibris.com, Biblio.com, Amazon.com or Abebooks.com as some of them are out of print by now. I have a lot more books, amongst them I do have the Buying Guides as well and can recommend them for their information alone. Besides they do have lovely photos.

The last two books are biograhpies but very interesting and entertaining as well.

Regards

Jerin

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

Jerin,

So it was you that beet me to ordering some of those books.... LOL

My Library is getting bigger and my list smaller, I agree! there are a lot of books out there!

ASh

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

Speaking of books and stuff....

I am reaserching for a class on the uses of colored pearls pre 1600, I have found limited resources such as a Gems & Gemology article from Summer issue from 1995. Are there any other resources that give a detailed account of colored pearls being farmed pre 1600 and their relation to Europe? I always get compliments when I wear my Strands of Black Pearls with my garb followed by are black pearls "period" were they worn and available pre 1600..

any and all help is greatly appreciated

Ash

 

[Richard W. Wise]

Don't forget Victor Berge, Pearl Diver
Louis Korntizer's Trade Winds
Alan Villier's Sons of Sinbad
These are all first person accounts of pearling in the South seas and off Bahrain.

I just got a copy of Streeter's Pearls & The Pearling Life. Its expensive, you will pay a lot of that muffler but the others can be had for under 50 bucks.

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

Hi Richard,

Thank you for those references! they are great! Isn't your copy of Streeter's Pearls and Pearling life an original print? If soluck duck! or did you find a re-print I know a company out of austrailia was going to re-print it, I have not heard aything about it in almost a year now.

Thankd again I will check into the other books.

Cheers
Ash

 

[Richard W. Wise]

Ashley,

My copy is a 1st edition in leather. Really lovely old book. Have been looking for one for about five years. Very scarce...

A reprint edition would be worth getting.

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

Hi All,

I just received a wonderful gift from my In-Laws... They Went to Scotland this summer for a month and brought back a book about pearl fishing... Its called

The River and the Road Journal of a Freshwater Pearl-fisher by Peter James Godwin. First edition 1985 ( not as impresive as richards leather bound Streeter book I admit..
It is just that a memior and journal. a fun and interesting read. names all the rivers he fished, what colors of pearls he found, how to tell if a mussel will have pearl in it.. all kinds of neat stuff.. it also describes the instruments he used... (gave me ideas on more stuff to research which is really cool! )

They found it in the Town of Ashby... Found that entertaining.....


Cheers
Ashby

 

[CortezPearls]

This thread will be kind of "reviving". Did not want to start a brand-new thread when this one will work fine

BTW: I am waiting for Pearlescence's book to arrive in the mail one of these days to give you a brief review that I will post here.

Today I want to share with you this book that I got back in December and I read it quite fast, but "things" happened, and I did not want to write much. This book is called "Putting on the Dog" by Melissa Kwasny. Interesting book because it talks about all the things we Humans use to wear as clothes and adornments: leathers, wool, silks, feathers, furs and -of course- PEARLS.
I actually found the chapters on Silk and Feathers to be remarkably interesting, but I would have wanted Melissa to include the use of pelican pelts by the Seri indians of the Sea of Cortez, but maybe it could have been too much.
The pearl chapter brought tears to my eyes...I sincerely was not expecting it: most of this chapter felt like a tribute to small pearl farmers. I was interviewed by Melissa years ago and I thought her focus was on the pearl producing techniques and I was happy to share with her, but I believe it ended up being more about ME, which makes me feel humbled and honored at the same time...and I also feel a bit like I did not deserve this (but, maybe I do). Would rather think this is about how small pearl farmers (thinking of Josh Humbert of Kamoka, or Kiyoshi Yonegushi of Kasumi Pearls, for instance) and how I believe they also share my same thoughts and emotions.
Anyway, I do recommend the book

 

[CortezPearls]

This is the link to the Book, on Amazon