THE PERSONAL SCRAPBOOK of Henry D. Morse (Trained The First Diamond Cutters in America)& Charles M Field (Inventor of the Modern Diamond Cutting Machine)Scrapbook (& Many Extras)
THE PERSONAL SCRAPBOOK OF CHARLES M. FIELD
(This Scrapbook was privately sold by this author, Joseph Gill, to the GIA in May 2001)
Christie's Sale of âThe Gill Collection of Historical Gem Books,â Oct. 21, 1987 â Sept. 19, 1988
Charles M. Field was the inventor of the modern diamond cutting machine used worldwide. He was the first man to actually cut the American-cut diamond which was later called (the modern ideal cut). Several original pictures of the Henry D. Morse factory, where Field was foreman, are included in this scrapbook. The factory, located in Boston, Massachusetts and founded in 1860 is where the first native born Americans were taught diamond cutting skills. Includes: the original cutting plans by C. M. Field of the Tiffany diamond, named after Tiffany & Co.; Henry Morse & Co. did a great deal of cutting for the firm also. The original first picture of the modern diamond cutting machine; of which a copy is stated to be in the United States Patent Office. Further on in this scrapbook is another picture of the stage in the Huntington lecture Hall of the Lowell Institute, Boston, where George Frederick Kunz first announced and demonstrated this unique machine. An article from Scientific American, July 18, 1891, tells of and pictures Mr. Field and his new American originated cutting machine. The scrapbook also contains numerous original photographs, business cards, booklets and newspaper articles related to the accomplishments of Mr. Field and Mr. H. Morse and covers the period between 1860 and the 1930's. A very large size original picture of Mr. Henry D. Morse (1826-1888) âThe Father of the American Diamond cutting Industryâ and a separate file containing several rare and unusual documents related to the scrapbook are also featured.
âThis scrapbook is unique and truly one of the most important documents relating to the jewelry industry worldwide.â
Reference: "Modern Jeweler" January 1985. "American Diamond Cutting â The Untold Story" by David Federman, with the assistance of Joseph Gill and his scrapbook.
This unique document is made available from Joseph O. Gill, BSC ,GG, FGA Retired director of Jewelry for Sotheby's North America SEE HIS BOOK Gill's Historical Index To Gems And Jewelry Online - by Joseph O. Gill 2009 (in WORD 2007) AND Gill's Historical Index To Gems And Jewelry Online - by Joseph O. Gill 2009, Appendix 1 - How and Why it Was Created