(Born: Circleville, Ohio, U.S.A., 17 June 1864; Died: Springfield, Illinois, U.S.A., 1930) American mineralogist.

Crook graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University. He then traveled and studied extensively in Europe earning in 1892 a doctorate in geology from the University of Munich. He then spent 14 years as a professor of mineralogy at Northwestern University, before being appointed curator in 1906 of the Illinois State Museum. During the next 24 years Crook was responsible for successfully expanding its collections.

Biographical references: ABA: I 375, 190-193. • Bulletin of the Geological Society of America: 42 (1931), 19-25. • Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography. • WBI. • Who Was Who in America: 1, ??.

1. English, 1920 [Collection catalog].
Guide To The | Mineral Collections | In The | Illinois State Museum | By | A.R. Crook, Ph.D., | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | [rule] | Springfield, Illinois | 1920.

8°: [i]-xxi, [1], [1]-294 p., 31 plates (partly colored), 236 illus. Page size: 222 x 148 mm.

Contents: [i-ii], Half title page, "Guide To The Mineral Collections In The | Illinois State Museum," verso blank.; [iii], "State Of Illinois."; [iv], Blank.; v, "Letter Of Transmittal."; [vi], Blank.; [vii-viii], Title page, verso "Published October 1920."; ix, "Preface."; [x], Blank.; xi, "Table Of Contents."; [xii], Blank.; xiii-xx, "List Of Illustrations."; xxi, "Abbreviations."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-4, "Introduction."; 5-193, Text.; 194-195, "Summary."; 196, "Names Of Minerals."; 197, "The Uses Of Minerals."; 198-200, "History Of The Study Of Minerals."; 201-275, "Comprehensive List Of Minerals."; [277], Sectional title page, "General Index."; [278], Blank.; 279-294, Text of index.

Scarce. The Illinois State Museum of Springfield, Illinois was created by act of the state Legislature in 1877. It accumulated a menagerie of objects including a large mineral collection. This Guide is a fine work that is more than a catalog, being in fact a well written and popular textbook of mineralogy. The text has chapters on nomenclature, the uses of minerals, history of mineralogy, chemistry, etc., which is richly illustrated with text figures and 31 photographic plates showing specimens from the museum.

Bibliographical references: NUC.

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