Historic Earth Science Teaching Appraisal

Vintage German Gemstone and Mineral Instructional Collection Box

This is a vintage educational gemstone collection presented in a rectangular cardboard display box titled 'Edelsteine und Schmucksteine' (Precious and Semi-precious stones). The display features thirty distinct mineral specimens, each housed in individual recessed square compartments arranged in a 5x6 grid. The specimens are raw, unpolished fragments representative of their mineral group. Notable varieties include Rubin (Ruby), Saphir (Sapphire), and Smaragd (Emerald) in the top row, moving through common minerals like Tigerauge (Tiger's Eye), Malachit (Malachite), and Lapis Lazuli. The board text is in German, indicating a mid-20th-century European educational origin, likely from between 1940 and 1960. The typeface is a clear sans-serif, and the header references a manual or guidebook (Seite 2-11). Physically, the cardstock shows significant age-related yellowing (patina) and light peripheral wear. The specimens appear generally intact, though some may have shifted or disintegrated slightly over time, leaving dust within the wells. The craftsmanship is utilitarian, designed for geological study or amateur collectors rather than high-end jewelry display. The set provides a comprehensive overview of mineral hardness and aesthetic variety as once taught in a scientific context.