Richter, Christian | Saxoniae electoralis miraculosa terra..., first edition

Richter, Christian

Saxoniae electoralis miraculosa terra, oder Des weltberühmten Chur-Sachsen-Landes bewunderns-wurdige Erde, wie dieselbe durch des höchsten sonderbahre Gnade und verliehenen Bergwercks-Verstand, auch unermüdeten Fleiss entdecket worden. Schneeberg: Schultze fur den Verf., 1732

4to (200 x 165 mm). Woodcut head- and tailpiece, 61 hand-colored engraved illustrations; some browning and offsetting, a few tray stains, browning. Contemporary paper-covered boards: some rubbing to extremities, head of spine chipped.

First edition of Richter's work on precious stones and minerals to be found in the province of Saxony. Among the minerals depicted in their raw, unpolished state are rubies, amethysts, agates, lapis lazuli and saphires. The coloring of the engraved illustrations is striking, with each accompanied by an explanatory text on the opposite page.

Rare.

REFERENCES

Ward and Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1873

PROVENANCE

Early ownership signature to title