Burma Ruby. A History of Mogok's Rubies
from Antiquity to
the Present
by S. K. Samuels
Copyright 2003, SKS
Enterprises, Inc.
ISBN 0-9725323-0-7 (hardcover); Pp. xviii + 254
34 b-&-w photos; 34 color plates; plus maps and tables; also 2
color supplements on CD
$25.00
The world's finest
rubies and sapphires have been mined in Mogok, Burma, for thousands of
years. Yet few books provide accurate, detailed information about the
country, especially in contemporary times.
Now, one book
provides a general yet complete introduction to Burma: Burma Ruby.
A History of Mogok's Rubies from Antiquity to the Present. It
surveys Burma's ancient history and the culture of its kings, its
experience through World War II, and its current economic situation
while focusing on Burma's renowned Mogok rubies.
Through
legends, anecdotes, and references to scholarly sources, readers will
meet the men and women who owned the mines, worked the mines, and
fought over Mogok's fabled wealth. They will be awestruck by the
gem-encrusted regalia of Burma's kings and some of Burma's most
notable gemstones (among 34 color plates). Burma Ruby also addresses
the topics of enhancement, heat treatment, smuggling, and provenance
of rubies and discusses the unique properties of Burmese rubies and
sapphires. It includes heretofore unpublished statistics about
historical and recent production and sales of rubies in Burma and a
hitherto unpublished listing of significant rubies and sapphires sold
from 1965 to 2002.
S. K. Samuels was born in Rangoon, Burma.
He lived through British rule, the Japanese occupation during World
War II, and a post-war British transition government before seeing
Burma gain her independence. He worked at Mawchi Mines in Kayah State
and at the civil hospital in Kengtung, in the Eastern Shan States,
traveling the length and breadth of the Shan States while there
(including Momeik, where Mogok is located). After moving to the U.S.,
he obtained his Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological
Institute of America. Able to speak Burmese, Hindi, and Urdu as well
as English, he has gathered together a lifetime of experience and
knowledge in Burma Ruby, focusing it on Burma's celebrated rubies.
Jade and Maw Sit Sit of Burma, revised and
expanded edition
by S. K. Samuels
Copyright 2004, 2009, SKS
Enterprises, Inc., Pp. x + 88, plus 34 color photos.
$15.00
Presents the history of jade mining and the jade trade in
Burma, with comparative analysis of jadeite, Maw Sit Sit, and Hte Lone
Sein. Includes the classifications systems that the Burmese use to
grade jade and Maw Sit Sit and statistics on sales of jade and Maw Sit
Sit in Burma. Revised edition includes a new chapter on India's use of
mutton-fat jade and includes a CD with more than 100 color
photos.
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