Also 4–5 iaspre, 5 iaspere, 6 iaspar. [a. OF. jaspre (15th c. in Littré) var. of jaspe = Sp., Pg. jaspe, Pr. jaspi, It. iaspide, ad. L. iaspis, iaspid-em, a. Gr. ἴασπις, ἰασπιδ- jasper, a word of oriental origin: cf. Heb. yashpeh (Exod. xxviii. 20), Assyrian ashpū; Pers. yashm, and yashp (Pers. and Arab. yashb, and yashf) jasper.
In med.L. diasprus, -um, was used both for jasper and diaper; It., Sp. and Pg. diaspro have also the sense ‘jasper.’]
1. A kind of precious stone. a. As rendering of Gr. ἴασπις or L. iaspis, name among the ancients for any bright-colored chalcedony except carnelian, the most esteemed being of a green color. b. In modern use, an opaque cryptocrystalline variety of quartz, of various colors, usually red, yellow, or brown, due mostly to the admixture of iron oxide.
Agate jasper, ‘an agate consisting of jasper with veinings and cloudings of chalcedony’ (1868 Dana, Min. (ed. 5), 195). Banded, striped, or ribbon jasper, a variety having the colors in broad stripes. Egyptian jasper, a variety much used in ancient art, occurring in nodules with zones of brown, yellow or red. Porcelain jasper, a kind of baked indurated clay.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 998. Iasper hyȝt þe fyrst gemme.
c. 1330. Owayn, 37. Jaspers topas and cristal Margarites and coral.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, II. 1180 (1229). Doun she sette here by hym on a ston Of Iaspre vp-on a quysshon gold y-bete.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xi. 43. Þare was … a boist of grene iasper with foure figures and viii. names of oure Lord þerin.
1526. Tindale, Rev. xxi. 18. The byldinge of the wall of hit was of iaspar.
1555. Eden, Decades, 115. He founde many of the precious stones cauled Smaragdes, calcedones, and Iaspers.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 39/2. The Jasper is somwhat green, yet specked with bloody spots.
1794. R. J. Sullivan, View Nat., I. 446.
1805–17. R. Jameson, Char. Min. (ed. 3), 232. Glistening minerals. Grey copper ore, porcelain jasper.
1855. Longf., Hiaw., iv. 47. Oaken arrows, Tipped with jasper.
1861. C. W. King, Ant. Gems (1866), 18. The true antique Jasper, vermillion coloured, is only to be met with in antique examples.
1868. Dana, Min. (ed. 5), 195. Porcelain jasper is nothing but baked clay, and differs from true jasper in being B. B. fusible on the edges.
2. Short for jasper-ware (see 3 b).
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 476. In Messrs. Riley’s shining black biscuit porcelain, the ware is of a jet black jasper, or porcelain body.
1832. G. R. Porter, Porcelain & Gl., 17. Jasper,… a white porcelainous biscuit of exquisite delicacy and beauty [among Wedgwood’s inventions].
1894. Smiles, J. Wedgwood, xiv. 153. The material was called jasper from its resemblance to that stone. The jasper ware was made of white porcelain bisque.
3. attrib. and Comb. a. Simple attrib. or adj. Made or consisting of jasper.
1718. Prior, Pleasure, 34. On the jasper steps to rear the throne.
1822. Hazlitt, Table-t., Ser. II. xviii. (1869), 372. Are not pictures and statues as much furniture as gold plate or jasper tables?
b. Comb., as jasper-glitter; jasper-hued, -like adjs.; jasper-dip, jasper-wash, a kind of ceramic decoration introduced by Wedgwood, in which jasper-ware is used for the surface, the body being of coarser material; jasper-opal, an impure opal containing iron oxide and having the color of yellow jasper; jasper-pottery, jasper-ware, a fine kind of porcelain invented by Wedgwood, and used by him for his cameos, and other most delicate work; † jasper stone = sense 1 a.
1894. Smiles, J. Wedgwood, xiv. 154. He afterwards invented his *jasper-dip in 1777.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Poems, II. 426. Her hair had grown just long enough To catch Heaven’s *jasper-glitter.
1822–34. Good’s Study Med. (ed. 4), IV. 401. [Calculi] purple *jasper-hued, red, brown, crystalline.
1887. Pall Mall Gaz., 19 July, 5/2. Red Etruscan is the unmeaning trade name of this *jasper-like stone.
1843. Portlock, Geol., 208. Associated with it, but sparingly, *jasper-opal is found.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 483. The *jasper pottery … is extremely beautiful; and is formed of blue and porcelain clay, Cornish-stone, Cork-stone, (sulphate of barytes), flint, and a little gypsum, tinged with cobalt calx.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., IV. v. Of *iasper stones it was wonderly wrought.
1611. Bible, Rev. xxi. 11. Her light was like vnto a stone most precious; euen like a iasper stone, cleare as christal.
1863. Gladstone, Glean. (1879), II. 206. Of the ware which I believe is called *jasper-ware.
