Schuh’s Annotated Bio-Bibliography


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KONIG, Emanuel.

(1658 – 1731)

(Born: Basel, Switzerland, 1 November 1658; Died: Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland, 30 July 1731) Swiss physician.

Until 1674, he attended the Gymnasium at Basel. 1677, received his M.A. from the University of Basel. 1682, received his M.D. from the University of Basel.He travelled for a number of years in France and Italy. 1695-1703, professor of Greek, University of Basel. 1703-1711, professor of natural philosophy, University of Basel. 1711-, professor of theoretical medicine, University of Basel. Those academic positions were not obtained without patronage. Through the efforts of his friend Georg Wolfgang Wedel, professor of medicine at Jena, he was admitted into the Accademia Naturae Curiosorum. 1682, he became a member of the Accademia Naturae Curiosorum (after 1687, the Accademia Caesarae Leopoldina), taking the name "Avicenna."

Biographical references: ADB. DBA: I 682, 3-8; II 732, 381-382. Hirsch, Biographisches Lexikon, 1884-8. Jöcher, Gelehrten-Lexikon, 1750-51: 2, 2136. Jöcher, Gelehrten-Lexikon, Supplement: 3, 641-3. Nouvelle Biographie Générale (Hoefer): 28, 7-8. Partington, History of Chemistry, 1961-70: 2, 318, 616, 713-4. Poggendorff: 1, col. 1293. Thorndike, History of Magic, 1923-58: 7, 43-7. WBI.

1. Latin, 1686 [First edition].
Emanuelis König | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | Regnum | Minerale, | Physicè, Medicè, Anatomicè, Chymicè, Alchymicè, | Analogicè, Theoreticè, & Practicè | Investigatum, perserutatum & erutum. | Metallorum nimirum, Lapidum, Salum, | Sulphurum, Terrarum, quin & Acidularum, | Thermarum Naturam, Ortum, Differentias, Præ- | parationes selectissimas Usúsque multiplices | candidè sistens. | [ornament] | Basileae Rauracorum, | [ornate rule] | Sumptibus & Typis Emanuelis & Joh. Georgii | König, Bibliopol. | Anno M. DC. LXXXVI.

4°: [8], [1]-192, [4] p., title in red and black, tail pieces, initials. Title in red and black.

Very scarce. The author at his own press published works on the three kingdoms of nature. Regnum Minerale deals first with the names, differences, generation, nutrition and augmentation of minerals and metals and whether they have organs. The second part describes the different metals: gold (including fulminating gold), silver, iron, copper, tin, lead, mercury, and antimony. He recognizes cinnabar in both natural and artificial. There are brief sections on bismuth, orpiment, cadmia, realgar, and zinc. Section three describes stones including gems, the magnet, lapis lazuli, pyrites, gypsum, the Bologna stone, and coral. Part four is on the middle salts and includes the preparation of acids. It deals with common salt, nitre, vitriols, alums, sal armoniac, etc. Other sections describe sulfur, amber, asphalt, ambergris and camphor, concluding with medicinal earths and an appendix on mineral waters.

Bibliographical references: BL [724.g.1.(3.)]. LKG: III 50. Partington, History of Chemistry, 1961-70: 2, p. 713-4. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993 [no copy listed]. VD17: 23:240450D [dated 1687].

2. Latin, 1687 [Another issue].
Emanuelis König | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | Regnum | Minerale, | Physicè, Medicè, Anatomicè, Chymicè, Alchymicè, | Analogicè, Theoreticè & Practicè | Investigatum, perscrutatum & erutum. | Metallorum nimirum, Lapidum, Salium, | Sulphurum, Terrarum, quin & Acidularum, | Thermarum Naturam, Ortium, Differentias, Præ- | parationes selectissimas Usúsque multiplices | candidè sistens. | [ornament] | Basiliæ Rauracorum, | [double rule] | Sumptibus & Typis Emanuelis & Joh. Georgii | Königl. | Bibliopol. | Anno M. DC. LXXXVII.

4°: )(4 A-Aa4 Bb2; 102l.; [8], [1]-192, [4] p. Title in red and black. Page size: 204 x 158 mm. Very scarce.

Bibliographical references: BL [457.c.16.]. CBN [S5594]. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 3515.

3. Latin, 1703 [2nd edition].
Emanuelis König, | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | Regnum | Minerale, | Generale Et Speciale | Quorum illud | Naturalem Et Artificialem | Mineralium productionem cum Parallelismo Alchy- | mico verorum Philosophorum, Tractatibus hucusque | ineditis, Commentario super Jntroitum Phi- | lalethæ, & c. candidè sistit; | Olim sub Nomine Regni Quarti Sulphurum | Fixorum Metallicorum promissum. | Hoc verò | Metalla, Lapides, Salia, Sulphura, Terras, | quin & Acidulaas, Thermas, Phsicè, Chymicè, Practicè | recludit. | [ornament] | Basileæ, | [ornate rule] | Sumptibus & Typis Emanuelis König, Senioris, | Anno M. DCC. III.

4°: [22], 181, [3], 428, [4] p., frontispiece (portrait of König). Title in red and black.

Very scarce. A much enlarged text that follows the format of the previous editions describes the realm of minerals. A fine portrait of König is used as a frontispiece.

Bibliographical references: LKG: III 51a. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 3516. Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 1294.

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