FICHTEL, Johann Ehrenreich von.
(1732 – 1795)
Fichtel held various advisory positions in the Austrian government. He wrote extensively on geology and mineralogy of Austria and Hungary.
Biographical references: ADB: 6, 771. • Anon., "Johann Ehrenreich von Fichtel", Arch. Ver. siebenbürgen Landesk., n.s., 3, (1858), 432-3. • Csíky, Forerunners of Mining-Geology Mapping, 1984. • DBA: I 317, 155-166; II 364, 429-431. • Ferchl: 153. • Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: 137-8. • Magyar Életrajzi Lexikon. • Meusel, Verstorbenen Teutschen Schrifsteller, 1802-16. • NDB: 5, 125-6 [by M. Kirchmayer]. • Poggendorff: 1, col. 743. • Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 2, 996, Suppl. 1 (1986), 1, 415 & Suppl. 2 (1995), 1, 614. • WBI. • Wurzbach, Biographisches Lexikon Österreich, 1856-91.
1. German, 1780.
Beytrag zur Mineralgeschichte von Siebenbürgen. [Nürnberg, In Verlag der Raspischen Buchhandlung, 1780].
Nachricht von den Versteinerungen des Grossfürstenthums Siebenbürgen mit einem Anhange und beygefügter Tabelle über die sämmtlichen Mineralien und Fossilien dieses Landes. Von J.E. von Fichtel ... Herausgegeben von der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin. Nürnberg: Raspische Buchhandlung, 1780.
2 vols. [Vol 1] 4°: [2], 158, [1] p., 7 folding plates; [Vol 2] 4°: 134, [1] p., 4 hand colored folding plates.
Very scarce. Contains an interesting and important account of the fossiliferous Tertiary deposits of the low parts of Siebenbürgen (Transsylvania), with a chapter at the end on the minerals and their localities in the same region. Contents of volume one: "Nachricht von den Versteinerungen des Grossfürstenthums Siebenbürgen, mit einem Anhange und beygefügrer Tabelle über die sämmtlichen Mineralien und Fossilien dieses Landes." Contents of volume two: "Geschichte des Steinsalzes und der Steinsalzgruben im Grossfürstenthum Siebenbürgen."
Bibliographical references: Freilich Sale Catalog: no. 189. • LKG: XIV 848 & 849a. • Roller & Goodman, Catalogue, 1976: 1, 395. • Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 806.
2. German, 1791-4 [First edition].
Mineralogische | Bemerkungen | von den | Karpathen. | Von | Johann Ehrenreich von Fichtel | [...4 lines of titles and memberships...] | [rule] | Erster [-Zweyter] Theil. | [vingette, hand-colored] | Wien, 1791 | bei Joseph Edlen von Kurzbeck, | k.k. Hofbuchdrucker, Groß= und Buchhändler.
2 parts. [Part 1: 1791] 8°: π5 A-2B8 2C6; 211l.; [10], [1]-[412] p.; [Part 2: 1794] 8°: 2D-2Y8 2Z6; 158l.; [413]-730 p., one folding map. Page size: 210 x 130 mm.
Contents: [Part 1] [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [4 pgs], "Vorbericht."; [2 pgs], "Uebersicht."; [1]-411, Text.; [412], Blank.
[Part 2] [413-414], Title page, verso blank.; [415]-730, Text.
Rare. Zittel says "the present work is devoted chiefly to a careful enumeration and description of the eruptive rocks in the Carpathians. He distinguishes volcanic outbreaks, with which superficial lava flows are associated, from volcanic upheavals, in the course of which wide regions are affected, and masses of igneous material are intruded in the crust. It can easily be understood that Fichtel's work met with an incredulous reception by Werner and his adherents." Fichtel included not only basalt but all granitoid, gneissose, schistose, and doleritic series as igneour in their origin. He was able to distinguish two kinds of volcanic mountains: 1) those which consist of immense uniform masses, sometimes building up a whole mountain-chain, and 2) those in which rocks of different costitution alternate with one another in a stratified way.
Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 70. • Hoover Collection: no. 311. • LKG: XIV 850b. • Roller & Goodman, Catalogue, 1976: 1, 395. • Zittel, History of Geology, 1901: pp. 88-9.
3. German, 1816 [2nd edition].
Mineralogische Bemerkungen von den Karpathen. Von Johann Ehrenreich von Fichtel ... Zweite unveränderte Ausgabe. Wien: In der Camesina'schen Buchhandlung, 1816.
8°:
Rare. The present work "is devoted chiefly to a careful enumeration and description of the eruptive rocks in the Carpathians. He distinguishes volcanic outbreaks, with which superficial lava flows are associated, from volcanic upheavals, in the course of which wide regions are affected, and masses of igneous material are intruded in the crust. It can easily be understood that Fichtel's work met with an incredulous reception by Werner and his adherents." (Zittle) Fichtel included not only basalt but all granitoid, gneissose, schistose, and doleritic series as igneour in their origin. He was able to distinguish two kinds of volcanic mountains: 1) those which consist of immense uniform masses, sometimes building up a whole mountain-chain, and 2) those in which rocks of different costitution alternate with one another in a stratified way.
Bibliographical references: Jonathan Hill, Bookseller: cat 11, no. 59. • LKG: XIV 850b. • Zittel, History of Geology, 1901: pp. 88-9.
4. German, 1794.
Mineralogische | Aufsätze | von | Johann Ehrenreich von Fichtel, | [...4 lines of titles and memberships...] | [rule] | [rule] | Wien, | gedruckt, bey Mathias Andreas Schmidt, | kaiserl. königl. Hofbuchdrucker. | [rule] | 1794.
8°: π3 A-Z8 2a4; 200l.; [6], [1]-374 p. Page size: 217 x 137 mm.
Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], "Erinnerung."; [2 pgs], "Ordnung | der | abgehandelten Gegenstände."; [1]-374, Text.
Very scarce. This work is concerned with all sorts of mineralogical and geological matters. It is divided into 25 chapters, some of which concern: iron ore deposits, manganese dioxide, Transylvanian gold deposits, the origins of ore deposits, much on volcanic ejecta, remarks on the criticism of his earlier book on the Carpathians.
Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 70. • Hoover Collection: no. 310. • LKG: VI 110. • Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 807.
5. German, 1792.
Machricht von einem in Ungarn neu endeckten ausgebrannten Vulkane, von J.E. von Fichtel. Berlin, 1792.
8°: Very scarce.
Bibliographical references: LKG: XIV 851c. • Roller & Goodman, Catalogue, 1976: 1, 395.
6. German, 1792.
Die Mineralogen | gegen | das Ende | des | achtzehnten Jahrhundrets. | [tapered rule] | [...2 lines of quotation, signed Seneca de ira...] | [rule] | Frankfurt und Leipzig | 1792.
8°: π1 A-H8 I2; 66l.; [2], [1]-130 p. Page size: 194 x 98 mm.
Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1]-130, Text.
Rare. Although published anonymously, this remarkable work has since been attributed to Johann Ehrenreich von Fichtel. Probably frustrated by the confusion of the mineralogical science in the 1790s, the author penned this sharp satire that attempts to classify mineralogists based upon their own theories. Within the 48 groupings, Fichtel recognizes "systematics" who classify everything even if it is not a mineral, "geometristen" who view the world through angles, "sexulaists," "antirevoluzionisten," "ignivomists," "neptunists," "neutralists," "skepticts," "orthodox," etc. A very humerous and biting commentary on the mineralogical science of the time.
Reprint, 1993: Die Mineralogen gegen das Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts. 1. Auflage, Nachdruck des von ... 1792 in Frankfurt und Leipzig erschienenen Originals. Mit einem Nachwort von Hans Prescher und Peter Schmidt. Leipzig, Deutsche Verlag für Grundstoffindustrie, 1993. 84 p. Published as: Freiberger Forschungshefte, D: Historische Bergbau, no. 199.
Bibliographical references: LKG: XII 194. • Roller & Goodman, Catalogue, 1976: 1, 395.
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