2020 Essays

Imitation Rubies and Failure in Ms. Fr. 640

Kremnitzer, Kathryn; Smith, Pamela H.

A recipe for ruby on fols. 100v–101r specifies mixing gold leaf with materials for making glass and heating to a temperature higher than for any other (imitation) gemstone. The author-practitioner failed at making ruby, as did most seekers of “gold ruby” glass, including multiple cohorts of Making and Knowing participants who reconstructed the process detailed in Ms. Fr. 640. This essay considers the crucial role of “imitation” and “failure” in stimulating the investigation of and experimentation on natural materials and processes.