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BRüCKMANN, Urban F.B.

(1728 – 1812)

(Born: Wolfenbüttel, Germany, 23 April 1728; Died: Braunschweig, Germany, 20 June 1812) German physcian, gemologist & mineralogist.

Son of Franz Ernst Brückmann, he was the professor of anatomy and surgery at the University of Braunsweig. He formed a 10,000 specimen collection of natural history including a large suite of minerals.

Biographical references: ADB. Baldinger, Biographien Ärzte, 1768-71. Börner, Vornehmsten Lebensumständen, 1749-64. Catalogue of Portraits of Naturalists: 231 [2 portraits listed]. DBA: I 150, 119-133; 1426, 143; II 184, 251-252. Ferchl. Hamberger & Meusel, Gelehrte Teutschland, 1796-1834. Hirsch, Biographisches Lexikon, 1884-8. NY Academy Portrait Catalog: 1 [1 portrait listed]. Poggendorff: 1, col. 313. WBI.

Abhandlungen von Edelsteinen, 1757

1. German, 1757 [First edition].
U.F.B. Brückmanns, | der A.W. Doctors, | Herzogl. Braunschw. Hofmedicus und Professors | bey der Anatomie, | Abhandlung | von | Edelsteinen, | nebst | einer Beschreibung | des so gegannten | Salzthalischen Steins. | [ornament] | [ornate rule] | Braunschweig, | verlegts die Fürstl. Waysenhausbuchhandlung. | 1757.

8°: A-J8 )(4 (J8 blank); 76l.; [1]-143, [9] p. Page size: 190 x 120 mm.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3]-5, "Vorrede."; 6-8, "Eintheilung der Edelsteine | überhaupt."; [9]-143, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.; [8 pgs], "Register."

Rare. A remarkable book that incorporates Brückmann's personal observations of gemstones, minerals and fossils under an umbrella of a general treatise on precious stones. Throughout the text, the author displays his extensive knowledge the of subject, incorporating numerous quotations and citations to the mineralogical literature of the time, while giving his own perceptive views on the subject under examination. The classification he adopts to arrange the stones is an innovation. Through his father's extensive collection, Brückmann had considered mineralogical subjects his entire life, and the insight he brings to his descriptions shows the extent of gemological knowledge of the 18th century. Sinkankas gives a full description.

Bibliographical references: Agassiz, Bibliographia Geologiæ, 1848-54: 1, 457. Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 2, 18. Göttingische gelehrte Anzeigen: 1758, p. 739. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 974. Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 356.

2. German, 1773 [2nd edition].
Urban Friederich Benedict | Brückmann, | der Arzneywissenschaft Doctor und Herzogl. Braun= | schweigischen Leibmedicus, | Abhandlung | von | Edelsteinen. | [ornament] | [rule] | Zweyte verbesserte und vermehrte | Auflage. | [double rule] | Braunschweig, | im Verlag der Fürstl. Waysenhaus=Buchlandlung [!] | 1773.

8°: A-Cc8; 208l.; [1]-415, [1] p. Title vignette. Page size: 196 x 120 mm.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3]-[6], Dedication, dated 26 April 1773.; [7]-[12], "Vorrede."; [13]-[14], "Eintheilung der Edelsteine überhaupt."; [15]-16, "Anmerkung."; [17]-358, Text.; 359-388, "Anhang | Von den größtentheils unbekannten | sogenannten Edelsteinen."; 389-415, "Register."; [1 pg], Blank.

Rare. Rewritten and enlarged edition with the addition of many new stones, and a valuable appendix, "Von den größtentheils unbekannten sogenannten Edelsteinen" (pp. 359-388), that attempts to identify the so-called gemstones of the ancient writers. As Sinkankas writes: "This glossary is unique and deserves to be translated with an interpretation in the light of modern knowledge; there are hundreds of terms and I know of no other place in the literature where a similar glossary of ancient gemological/mineralogical terms exists." Brückmann also expands his system of classification incorporating new categories and ornamental materials such as marble, granite, etc. Since the appearance of the first edition in 1757 the author had researched extensively to write this enormously enlarged treatment. He carried on his research issuing two supplemental parts that are described below.

Bibliographical references: Allgemeine Deutsche Bibliothek: Suppl. to volumes 13-24, p. 584. BL [987.h.24.]. Freilich Sale Catalog: no. 103. Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 2, 18. Hoover Collection: no. 185. LKG: XVI 231. Roller & Goodman, Catalogue, 1976: 1, 175. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 975.

3. German, 1778 [First suppl.].
Urban Friederich Benedict Brückmanns, | […4 lines of titles and memberships…] Gesammlete und Eigene | Beyträge | zu seiner | Abhandlung | von | Edelsteinen. | [vignette] | [rule] | Braunschweig, | in der Fürstl. Waisenhaus=Buchhandlung. 1778.

8°: *4 A-P8 Q-R4; 132l.; [8],[1]-252, [4] p. Page size: 195 x 110 mm.

Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [6 pgs], "Vorrede."; [1]-252, Text.; [4 pgs], "Register."

Rare. This supplement enhances and expands the basic text of Abhandlungen von Edelsteinen (2nd ed., Branuschweig, 1773), giving additional citations to the literature and additional locality information. Brückmann also incorporates the results of various chemical analysis on stones he has examined and reviews of the latest discoveries in mineralogy, as it pertains to gemological studies. Interestingly a large amount of information on the synthetic manufacture of various minerals and gemstones in incorporated, including descriptions of how to determine fake stones. This is among the first works to treat the suject of mineral synthesis.

Bibliographical references: Allgemeine Deutsche Bibliothek: 72, 132. BL [987.h.25.]. Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 2, 18. Hoover Collection: no. 186. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 976.

4. German, 1783 [2nd suppl.].
Urban Friederich Benedict Brückmanns | […4 lines of titles and memberships…] | Gesammlete und Eigene | Beyträge | zu seiner | Abhandlung | von | Edelsteinen. | Zwote Fortsetzung. | [rule] | Braunschweig, | in der Fürstl. Waisenhaus=Buchhandlung. 1783.

8°: A-Q8; ??l.; [1]-250, [6] p. Page size: 195 x 110 mm.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3], Dedication.; [4], Blank.; [5]-8, "Vorrede."; [9]-250, Text.; [4 pgs], "Register."; [1 pg], "Druckfehler."; [1 pg], Blank.

Rare. Brückmann continues to add information through this second supplement, the last in the series.

Bibliographical references: Allgemeine Deutsche Bibliothek: 62, no. 1, 132. Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 2, 18. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 977.

5. Russian, 1779 [Russian transl.].
Sochinenie o dragotsiennykh kamniakh s pribavleniem opisaniia tak nazyvaemago Zal'tstal'skago kamnia Gospodina U.F.B. Brikmana, Meditsiny Doktora, Gertsogskago Braunshveiskago pridvornago Medika i Anatomii Professora; perevod Shikhtmeistera Vasil'ia Bespalova; razsmotrieno v uchrezhdennom pri Gornom Uchilishchie Sobranii Chlenami Ober-Bergmeisterami Aleksandrom Karamyshevym i Ivanom Khemnittserom. Sanktpeterburg, Pechatano pri onom zhe uchilishchie, 1779.

8°: 224 p.

Rare. Abridged translation by Vasilii Osipovich Bespalov [1752-    ] & Aleksandr Matveevich Karamyshev [1744-1791] of Abhandlungen von Edelsteinen (2nd ed., Braunschweig, 1773).

Bibliographical references: Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993 [no copy listed]. Svodnyi Katalog Russkoi Knigi: no. 744.

6. German, 1777.
Urban Friedrich Benedict Brückmanns | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | Abhandlung | von dem | Welt -Auge, | oder | Lapide Mutabili. | [ornament] | [double rule] | Braunschweig, | im Verlage der Fürstl. Waisenhaus=Buchhandlung. 1777.

4°: A-B4; 8l.; [1]-16 p.

Very rare. This monograph describes opals from several european localities, but particularly Hungary.

Bibliographical references: Beckmann P.Ö.B.: 8, 437. BL [B.371.(9.)]. Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 2, 63 ["Ganz gute Bemerkungen enthaltend"]. LKG: XVI 365. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993 [no copy listed].

Verzeichniss, 1813

7. German, 1813 [Sale catalog].
Verzeichniss | einer vollständigen | Mineralien-Sammlung, | welche | aus allen Theilen dieses weitläuftigen Fachs, | sowohl roh, als geschliffen und bril- | lantirt besteht, | und in einem Zeitraume von mehr als 60 Jahren | mit | Sach-Kenntniss, vieler Mühe und grossem | Kostenaufwande | von dem | vorstorbenen Herzogl. Braunschweig Leibarzte | Urban Friedr. Bened. Brückmann | zu Braunschweig | zusammengebracht worden ist. | [double rule] | Braunschweig 1813, | gedruckt bei Johann Heinreich Meyer.

8°: [i]-viii, [1]-432 p. Page size: 186 x 104 mm.

Very rare. Auction sale catalog of Brückmann's gem and mineral collection, which he had amassed through over 60 years of collecting, with great effort and much expense. As would be expected from his textbook on gemology, Brückmann had a particular fondness for gem minerals and these are represented throughout the catalog in both cut and natural crystal specimens. Over 6,000 lots are described in the text. The sale took place after Brückmann's death, and was initiated by his heirs.

Bibliographical references: BL [974.b.25.]. Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 163 & 207.

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