Digital only

Robbing the Sparry Garniture:  A 200 year History of British Mineral Dealers 1750-1950 is a comprehensive book by British mineralogist and author Michael P. Cooper.

This 358-page volume explores the lives, stock, and trade practices of more than 230 historic British mineral dealers. It features extensive documentation, portraits, and specimen labels from an era that shaped natural science collecting.

It also covers colorful historical figures and legendary collections within the mineralogy community, such as collector John Calvert and the trade activities of various 18th- to 20th-century merchants. The title itself playfully references the old-fashioned term “sparry garniture,” historically used to describe crystalline mineral clusters and decorative spar ornaments.