Agricola, Georgius | First edition of Agricola’s first book on mining, Basel, 1530

Agricola, Georgius

Bermannus, sive de re metallica. Basel: Froben, 1530

8vo (160 x 98 mm). Roman types, woodcut printer's device on title and last page, one eight-line historiated woodcut initial, 2 five-line ornamental woodcut initials; some light dampstaining, a few tiny, unobtrusive wormholes to first three leaves. Early, likely original, vellum front cover, titled in ink, joined with original sewing thongs to a modern vellum spine and rear cover, early red edges. Vellum slipcase gilt, chemise.

First edition of Agricola’s first book on mining. Agricola was the physician and pharmacist in St. Joachimsthal (now Jáchymov, Czech Republic), then one of the most important mining regions in Europe. His practice provided an ideal opportunity to study the pharmaceutical applications of minerals, as well the miners themselves. “Day and night he visited the mines and the smoky smelting houses, and soon he had an excellent knowledge of mining and metallurgy. He recorded his impressions in Bermannus. … The success of this pioneer delineation of mining and metallurgy was assured by Erasmus, who contributed a letter of recommendation” (Helmut Wilsdorf, in Dictionary of Scientific Biography). Erasmus's letter, dated 12 March 1529 and printed on a2, is lacking from the copy at the British Library.

The work takes its title from one Lorenz Berman, a “learned miner” Agricola had met at St. Joachimsthal and who he here places in dialogue with two doctors, Nicolaus Ancon and Joannes Naevius. Among the ancient authorities who are discussed are Dioscorides, Galen, Pliny, and Vitruvius.

Significant in its own right, Bermannus laid the foundation for Agricola's more celebrated De re metallica. Herbert and Lou Hoover, in their translation of De re metallica, described the earlier work as “a sort of catechism on mineralogy, mining terms, and mining lore” that included “the first appearance of the names of many minerals which we have since adopted from the German into our own nomenclature.” Rare: not in the Hoover collection; evidently only one other complete copy has appeared at auction since the Honeyman sale in 1978.

REFERENCES

Adams A348; BMC German 8 (imperfect); Honeyman sale 1: 21; Ward & Carozzi 27; not in Hoover

PROVENANCE

Joseph A. Freilich (booklabel; Sotheby’s New York, 10 January 2001, lot 9)