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Post by kk on Jan 9, 2014 5:35:41 GMT -5
Hi everyone, We are just in the closing moments of a contest of making cabs in the shape of shields. We had quite a nice event in which some members here participated too. www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.485083941611292&type=1Now we had one member asking the following question: The "shield", where, when, why did it all start? Is there any reliable info on the net about it, that that member was not likely to have found already? Any help would be highly appreciated. Kurt
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 9, 2014 8:21:25 GMT -5
Just a guess but I would think the shield shape for cabs originated with "coat of arms" pins, badges and buttons that have been popular on clothing for about a thousand years. Coats of Arms are usually presented in shield shape so probably folks thought " Hey, that would make a good shape for a cab."....Mel
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Post by kk on Jan 9, 2014 8:43:04 GMT -5
Thank you so much for getting this started, I thought something along these lines too, but is there any info when it entered the lapidary world and when it was generally accepted as one of the standard shapes. I can remember having seen "shields" in faceted stones going back quite a while (basically a misshapen drop, I suppose. ) Thanks again, Kurt
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 9, 2014 9:01:16 GMT -5
I've only been a rockhound since the late 1950s. I don't remember seeing anyone cut shapes other than standard template shapes ( ovals, rounds, squares, rectangles etc) back then but my pop was pretty poor so he probably could not afford a lot of fancy templates. What would be cool is if anyone has pics of some showcases from way back when. Lowell ( elementary) has a lot of historical info from the Ventura club going way back. Maybe he has some pics from back then.....Mel
PS: Checked my library and my oldest lapidary book is Quartz Family Gems from 1938. Has a few cab pics and the only thing close to a shield cut is an inverted teardrop. Most all the cabs pictured are ovals. Have another book from 1925 on general gemstones and it's all ovals too except for faceted stones where there is one faceted shape that is kind of a shield but with straight angles and no curves. First book I have that shows shield cut cabs is Leland Quick's " Agate Book" from 1963.
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Post by kk on Jan 9, 2014 9:28:50 GMT -5
Splendid info. Thank you so much.
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Post by radio on Jan 9, 2014 11:02:56 GMT -5
My guess would be that someone dropped a gorgeous cab and made whatever shape they could to salvage what was left after the "Oh shart"! moment. Had that happen to me on a few occasions:-)
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Post by kk on Jan 9, 2014 17:00:09 GMT -5
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