Schuh’s Annotated Bio-Bibliography

FREIESLEBEN, Johann Carl.

(1774 – 1846)

(Born: Freiberg, Germany, 14 June 1774; Died: Nieder-Auerbach, Voigtland??, 20 March 1846) German mineralogist & geologist.

Freiesleben studied under A.G. Werner at the Bergakademie in Freiberg. In 1799, he was awarded the title of Bergmeister, and in 1800 he was appointed advisor to the mining council and director of mining activities in Eisleben. In 1838 he became Chief Mining Advisor for all of Saxony, a post he held until his retirement in 1842.

Biographical references: ADB: 7, 339-40. • DBA: I 342, 87-99; II 394, 361-362. • DSB: 5, 155-6 [by H. Tobien]. • Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: 148. • Meusel, Verstorbenen Teutschen Schrifsteller, 1802-16. • NDB: 5, 395-6 [by H. Freydank]. • Poggendorff: 1, col. 796. • Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 2, 1040 & Suppl. 1 (1986), 1, 426. • WBI.

1. German, 1794.
Mineralogische Bemerkungen über das Schillernde Fossil, von der Baste bey Harzburg insbesondere mit Hinsicht auf dessen geognostisches Vorkommen. Im Nahmen der Linneischen Societät zu Leipzig ... Leipzig, zu finden bey Wagner und Co., 1794.

8°: A-B⁸ C³; 22l.; [2], 38, [4] p.

Rare. Freiesleben, a member of an old Freiberg mining family, was one of the most gifted and most learned students of Werner and a close friend of von Buch and Humboldt. The author later became chief administrator of the mines in the Kingdom of Saxony."Through his exact and reliable descriptions of the Permian and Triassic sedimentary formations in Saxony and Thuringia he pushed beyond Werner to a greater knowledge of the stratigraphic relationships of these periods in central Germany and helped to create the basis for stratigraphic comparisons with neighboring regions. His painstaking and accurate data on mining in Saxony and on the occurrence of minerals there are still valuable for historical purposes." (DSB)

Bibliographical references: BL [B.386.(4.)]. • DSB: 5, 156. • LKG: XVI 403. • NUC [no copy listed].

2. German, 1795.
Der Bemerkungen über den Harz. Leipzig, Schäferischen Buchhandlung, 1795.

2 vols. Rare.

Bibliographical references: BL [970.e.12-13.]. • LKG: XIV 175.

Geognostische Arbeiten, 1807

[Volume one title:]

[Volume two title:]

[Volume three title:]

[Volume four title:]

[Volume five title:]

[Volume six title:]

6 vols. [Vol 1: 1807] 8°: *⁸ A-T⁸ U⁴; 164l.; [i]-xvi, [1]-312 p. [Vol 2: 1809] 8°: π⁵ A-P⁸ Q³; 128l.; [i]-x, [1]-242, [4] p., one folding map. [Vol 3: 1815] 8°: π⁴ *⁸ A-X⁸; 181l.; [i]-xxiv, [1]-338 p., ond folding map (colored). [Vol 4: 1815] 8°: π⁶ A-Ff⁸ Gg²; 236l.; [i]-xii, [1]-459, [1] p., 2 folding plates (cross-sections). [Vol 5: 1817] 8°: π⁸ A-Q⁸ R⁴; 140l.; [i]-xv, [1], [1]-264 p. [Vol 6: 1817] 8°: π⁸ A-T⁸ U⁴; 164l.; [i]-xvi, [1]-312 p. Page size: 226 x 120 mm. uncut.

[Vol 6] [i-ii], Blank, verso series title page.; [iii-iv], Sectional title page,"Beyträge | zur | Mineralogischen Kenntniß | von Sachsen, | von | Johann Carl Freiesleben, | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | [tapered rule] | Zweyte Lieferung. | [tapered rule] | Freyberg, 1817. | bey Craz und Gerlach," verso blank.; [v], Dedication.; [vi], Blank.; [vii]-viii, "Vorbericht."-signed J.C. Freiseleben, 10 September 1817.; [ix]-xvi, "Uebersicht des Inhalts."; [1]-302, Text.; [303], "Beylagen."; [304], Blank.; 305-312, Text of Beylagen.

Rare, especially in complete sets. Each volume has its own special title page, as follows: Volumes 1-4. "Geognostischer Beyträge zur Kenntniß des Kupferschiefergebirges mit besonderer Hinsicht auf einen Theil der Grafschaft Mannsfeld und Thürigens." Volumes 5-6. "Beyträge zur mineralogischen Kenntniß von Sachsen."

The first volumes provide a geological description of the great copper deposits (known as the Kupferschiefergebirges) in Germany. Details are given of the locations, formations, ore types, history, etc. of the region. The last two volumes of this series, Beyträge zur mineralogischen Kenntniß von Sachsen, describe the mineralogy of the region of Saxony in Germany. Freiesleben first describes the geological lay of the land, and the type of rocks found throughout. He then describes iron and tin mining, and the various mineral species found. Basalt is then described. The work concludes with Freiesleben's descriptive mineralogy of all species known to occur in the Saxon regions.

Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 71. • LKG: XIV 242. • Roller & Goodman, Catalogue, 1976: 1, 421. • Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 865.

Systematische Uebersicht , 1822

8°: a⁸ b³ A-X⁸ Y⁴ Z² Aa¹; 186l.; [i]-xxi, [1], [1]-350 p.

Contents: [i-ii], Title page, verso blank.; [iii]-x, "Vorbemerkung."-signed Johann Carl Freieslebebn, 4 June 1822.; xi-xxi, "Inhalt."; [1 pg], "Druckfehler."; [1]-329, Text.; 330-348, "Namenregister der Schriftsteller."; 349-350, Publisher's list of books for sale.

Very scarce. The first appearance of this bibliography was in the Bermännischen Journal for 1816. This is a separate, expanded edition, bringing the bibliographic coverage up to 1820. It is a classified catalog biased to German literature with the first part covering writings in mineralogy, mining and metallurgy. Under this heading are listed bibliographies, dictionaries, works on nomenclature, periodicals, specialized writings in mineralogical chemistry and metallurgy, mineral analysis, mineral economics, and topographical works. The second portion covers textbooks of mineralogy, oryctognosy, classificatory works, petrology, and geognosy. The third section lists works on mining and mine procedures.

Bibliographical references: BL [725.b.39.]. • Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 71. • NUC: 184, 406-7 [NF 0365498]. • Petzholdt, Bibliotheca Bibliographica, 1866: p. 567.

Very scarce. Published as volumes 5 and 6 of the author's Geognostische Arbeiten, which is where this work is described. See the entry above for a complete description of this work.

Magazin für Orytographie von Sachsen. Ein Beytrag zur mineralogischen Kenntniß dieses Landes und zur Geschichte seiner Mineralien. In freyen Heften, herausgegeben von Johann Carl Freiesleben. (Freyberg, 1828-48).
See under: Magazin Für Orytographie.