Viewing Stones of North America

Viewing Stones of North America - A Contemporary Perspective

by Thomas Elias

Although firmly rooted in ancient East Asia cultures, stone appreciation has no necessary boundaries; around the mid-twentieth century it found a congenial reception in the West, where it slowly began to flourish. While after more than a half-century, Asian perspectives on connoisseurship of natural stones have become well established in the West, books on viewing stones still predominantly feature East Asian examples. This is the first book to feature outstanding North American viewing stones from private and institutional collections.

From over 330 professional photographs submitted for consideration, 151 stones were selected for inclusion.