2020 Essays

Imitation Emeralds

Shah, Siddhartha V.

A recipe for Esmeraulde (emerald) on fol. 100v, one of a number of recipes for “Pierrerie” (Gemstones) in Ms. Fr. 640 lays out the materials and processes the author-practitioner uses for all gemstones, varying only the colorant. This is one of two recipes for making emeralds, the other on fol. 2v. This essay considers these recipes within the long history of emerald making, a practice apparently so widespread by the end of the sixteenth century that the author-practitioner could observe that “the common people make emeralds & cast in sand.” The reconstruction of this recipe necessitated multiple trials but resulted in the end in convincing emeralds.