SKU: 50494382893

Empire of Diamonds: Victorian Gems in Imperial Settings

Sale price$22.91 Regular price$25.46
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $6.37 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 19 - Aug 24

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

Empire of Diamonds: Victorian Gems in Imperial SettingsIn 1850, the legendary Koh i noor diamond, gem of Eastern potentates, was transferred from the Punjab in India and, in an elaborate ceremony, placed into Queen Victoria's outstretched hands. This act inaugurated what author Adrienne Munich recognizes in her engaging new book as the empire of diamonds. Diamonds were a symbol of political power only for the very rich and influential. But, in a development that also reflected the British Empire's

In 1850, the legendary Koh-i-noor diamond, gem of Eastern potentates, was transferred from the Punjab in India and, in an elaborate ceremony, placed into Queen Victoria's outstretched hands. This act inaugurated what author Adrienne Munich recognizes in her engaging new book as the empire of diamonds.

Diamonds were a symbol of political power--only for the very rich and influential. But, in a development that also reflected the British Empire's prosperity, the idea of owning a diamond came to be marketed to the middle class. In all kinds of writings, diamonds began to take on an affordable romance. Considering many of the era's most iconic voices--from Dickens and Tennyson to Kipling and Stevenson--as well as grand entertainments such as The Moonstone, King Solomon's Mines, and the tales of Sherlock Holmes, Munich explores diamonds as fetishes that seem to contain a living spirit exerting powerful effects, and shows how they scintillated the literary and cultural imagination.

Based on close textual attention and rare archival material, and drawing on ideas from material culture, fashion theory, economic criticism, and fetishism, Empire of Diamonds interprets the various meanings of diamonds, revealing a trajectory including Indian celebrity-named diamonds reserved for Asian princes, such as the Great Mogul and the Hope Diamond, their adoption by British royal and aristocratic families, and their discovery in South Africa, the mining of which devastated the area even as it opened the gem up to the middle classes. The story Munich tells eventually finds its way to America, as power and influence cross the Atlantic, bringing diamonds to a wide consumer culture.



Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: University of Virginia Press
Published: 05/19/2020
ISBN: 9780813944005
Pages: 296
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.50w x 0.80d
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 50494382893

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.5 ★★★★★
Based on 8 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
A
Verified Purchase
Anil W
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 4
Good oil
Good pure oil, helps moisturize hair and is the smell is ok. Easy to apply and helps the hair shine..
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2025
A
Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 1
Air product
I used it , it made my hair feel great but in the morning I find my hair to be dry and it feels like I didn’t put anything on it and as far as hair growth I don’t see it . And it did not make my hair any stronger it’s still breaking .
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2025
O
Verified Purchase
Osazee Sarah Bello
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
Wait to see
I am just starting to use it and I have to use it for a couple of weeks to help me know if it’s works but what I notice after applying it to my hair it’s just makes it so smooth and soft
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2026
F
Verified Purchase
Faith Anderson
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Better than expected
Better than expected, I am absolutely pleased with this product. My bald spot starting showing signs of growth after the first week.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2026
Q
Verified Purchase
Queenofthehouse
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
Lashes like Garbo
Size: 0.27 Fl Oz (Pack of 1), Style: Mascara/Lash Primer, Size: 0.27 Fl Oz (Pack of 1), Style: Mascara/Lash Primer
I think this might be my new go to mascara. I have the teeniest tiniest lashes ever, they are straight and stick out from my eyelids and without mascara I look like I have no lashes so it’s a struggle finding mascaras that make my lashes look lush. Let me start off by saying that the primer is amazing. As soon as I put it on my lashes grew over twice in length! It didn’t clump and separated my lashes like whoa( the clumping with these lash fiber or extra lengthening mascaras is always horrendous so that was a wonderful surprise), it dried in about 20 seconds and then I put on the coal black mascara. Vavoom ladies! Instant fabulous lashes. So far I have experienced zero flaking after wearing for long periods of time , it hasn’t smudged or melted when I’m dancing up a storm or getting my workout on and the length of my lashes is practically miraculous. It is not cry proof. It’s super easy to remove and doesn’t tear out any of my eyelashes though, so that’s another plus! Also, I have celiac disease and a host of other random allergies and am allergic to SO MANY products it’s ridiculous, but luckily I am not allergic to this magic mascara. I recently discovered that this doesn’t smudge on my bottom lashes either! I’m almost 40 and I have never found a mascara that didn’t smudge on my bottom lashes. I’m so oily that even waterproof ones didn’t work! I stopped wearing it on my bottom lashes for anything but photo shoots after 20yrs old because the smudging made me look like an old lady with terrible makeup skills,but now I can once again rock liner on my bottom lashes! I included a terrible picture ( I hate getting my picture taken!) and tried to crop it so you can get an idea of how amazing this mascara is( look at those lashes practically touching my brow bone!),because I know I always want to actually see the results of people using the product, so hopefully it helps. :-) Ps: I don’t have mascara on my bottom lashes in the pic as I didn’t discover it was even a possibility for me until I bought a tube for my bestie ( another oily faced queen)and she told me there was no smudging:-O
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2019

recommand products