This is a bibliography with biographical information for the sciences of mineralogy and crystallography. It focuses on books published between the period 1469 and 1919. What is made available here is volume one which contains the preliminary pages plus description of books between A to Huygens. This is NOT the final version of the reference, but an intermediate text that will someday be completed.
From the Preface:
Few people today would claim mineralogy as a science balanced on the edge of significant discovery, but that was not the case in the past. Then, mineralogy and its companion study crystallography were important sciences with each new discovery being widely publicized and debated. Many researchers, some of whom may be counted among the greatest geniuses of the human race, contemplated, investigated and wrote about minerals and crystals.
"Mineralogy & Crystallography: A Biobibliography", attempts in some measure to spotlight these people, their discoveries and their books. It covers the period from the invention of mechanical printing through the first two decades
of the twentieth century, and lists thousands of book titles in a variety of languages, many of which are described in bibliographic detail for the first time. It is a reference intended for collectors, booksellers, librarians and historians of science, who have an interest in the development of mineral studies. Consequently, biographical sketches of all writers notable in the sciences of mineralogy and crystallography are included together with many names that have long since been forgotten by the march of time. It is limited
in scope to researchers active in Europe, Russia and the Americas, from the beginning of time until 1920, and is a true biobibliography containing concise biographical notes and copious reference lists about the authors together
with annotated bibliographies of their mineralogical and crystallographic books. Effort has been made to include as many biographical references
as possible since many of the names listed are obscure and it is hoped that this ready reference will stimulate further research. Complementing each biography is a bibliography of the individual’s independent books relevant
to mineralogy and crystallography. Sometimes there is a single entry, in other instances many titles are listed. All issues, editions, translations and abridgments that have been uncovered are recorded in the bibliography. If a copy of the book listed has been physically examined, it is described in full bibliographic detail, with complete pagination, collation, plate descriptions and a moderately detailed page by page recitation of contents. Otherwise as much information as could be located about the book is presented. This includes commentary related to the books importance in the development of
the science, notices of reviews and other references listing the title.