Besides being the birthstone for the January-born, the garnet is one of the oldest gemstones collected by humans — dating back more than 5,000 years to the Bronze Age — and comes in a spectrum of colors, including red, purple, orange and green. Perhaps the most iconic garnet is the deep red Bohemian garnet. A brooch stuffed with rose-cut blood-red garnets was a staple of Victorian fashion, and garnets remain a staple of Czech and Slovak jewelry.
A wealth of garnet treasures have been on display at the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library (NCSML) in Cedar Rapids since June, representing the past and present of garnet engineering. “Brilliant Bohemian Garnets,” found in the Petrik Gallery, contains nearly 200 objects, from an abundance of jewelry to household items like encrusted picture frames and mirrors, even eyeglasses. NCSML also has garnet mining and cutting tools on display.
After the special exhibit is over, the garnets return to the Czech National Museum in Prague, never to leave the Czech Republic again, according to NCSML curator Stefanie Kohn. Head to NCSML this winter to ogle the priceless rocks, but stay for the new and permanent exhibits highlighting Czech and Slovak fashion, puppets and immigrant experiences (“Faces of Freedom”); textiles (“Noah Breuer—Reclamation,” through Feb. 25); contributions to Art Nouveau (including a 75-piece exhibit of Alphonse Mucha works, open May 4-Sept. 1), and other Bohemian artifacts unique to this side of the Atlantic.
