Schuh’s Annotated Bio-Bibliography


Return to main Biobliography page

PATRIN, Eugène Melchior Louis.

(1742 – 1815)

(Born: Lyon, France, 3 April 1742; Died: St. Vallier, France, 15 August 1815) French chemist, mineralogist & geologist.

Patrin studied chemistry and physics in France, after which he took a decade long mineralogical survey throughout Germany, Hungary, Poland, Russia and Siberia. His extensive travels in the Urals, Altai and other regions of Siberia lasted from 1780 to 1787. The mineral specimens he collected were sent back to St. Petersburg ahead of his return, but were partially confiscated by Pyotr Simon Pallas, who took the choicest pieces for his own cabinet. The other Siberian specimens were offered for sale to the Jardin du Roi Collection in Paris, on the stipulation that the group not be broken up.

Biographical references: ABF: I 813, 100-110. Beauchamp, Biographie Moderne, 1816. Berthier, P., Notice sur E.M.L. Patrin. Lyon, 1874. Biographie Universelle: 33, 140-2. DBF. Feller, Biographie Universelle, 1851. Nouvelle Biographie Générale (Hoefer). Poggendorff: 2, cols. 374-5. WBI.

Histoire Naturelle des Minéraux, 1801

1. French, 1801 [First edition].
Histoire Naturelle | Des Minéraux, | Contenant leur description, celle de leur | gîte, la théorie de leur formation, leurs | rapports avec la Géologie ou Historie de | la Terre, le détail de leurs propriétés et de | leurs usages, leur analyse chimique, &c. | avec figures dessinées d'après nature. | Par Eugène-Melchior-Louis Patrin, | Membre associé de l'Institut national de France, | et de plusieurs autres Sociétés savantes. | Tome Premier. [-V.] | [tapered rule] | De L'Imprimerie De Crapelet. | A Paris, | Chez Deterville, rue du Battoir, n° 16. | An IX.

[Series title page:]

Histoire Naturelle | De Buffon, | A laquelle on a joint les Observations et les | Découvertes des plus célèbres Naturalistes | Modernes sur la Minéralogie.

5 vols. [Vol 1] 12°: π2 a-f6 g2 h2 1-216; 168l.; [4], [i]-lxxx, [1]-251, [1] p., 3 plates.; [Vol 2] 12°: π2 1-276 282; 166l.; [4], [1]-327, [1] p., 7 plates.; [Vol 3] 12°: π2 1-296 303; 179l.; [4], [1]-353, [1] p., 17 plates.; [Vol 4] 12°: π2 1-286 293; 173l.; [4], [1]-342 p., 3 plates.; [Vol 5] 12°: π2 1-336; 200l.; [4], [1]-399, [1] p., 10 plates. Page size: 132 x 84 mm.

Contents: [Vol 1] [2 pgs], Series title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [i]-xxvij, "Introduction."-dated 4 January 1801.; [xxviii], "Advertisssement | De L'Éditeur."; [xxix]-lx, "Vocabulaire | Abrégé | De Mineralogie Et De Chemie."; [lxi]-lxxx, "Table." [table of conents for all volumes].; [lxxvi], Blank.; [lxxvii]-lxxx, "Addition | Aux Terres."; [1]-251, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.

[Vol 2] [2 pgs], Series title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1]-327, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.

[Vol 3] [2 pgs], Series title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1]-353, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.

[Vol 4] [2 pgs], Series title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1]-342, Text.

[Vol 5] [2 pgs], Series title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1]-399, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.

Plates: Scattered throughout the five volumes are 40 unnumbered engraved plates. Presumablly, all of the plates are designed by Desève, with most signed by one of three engravers. At the time of publication, the work could be purchased with the plates either plain or hand colored. The subject of the plates are items of mineralogical interest. At the top of each plate is an indication as to the Tome and page where the illustration should be located. Every plate also has included a desciption of the objects pictured. Listed below are the description of the plates and their placement within each volume.

Volume 1: (p. 96) "Granit de Corse," signed Deseve del. Le Villain Sc.; (p. 101) "Granit Graphique de Siberie," signed Deseve del. Le Villain Sc.; (p. 208) "Asbeste Raïonnant," signed Deseve del. Le Villain Sc.

Volume 2: (p. 10) "1. Topaze Blanche de Siberie. 2. Topaze Bleue verdatre," signed Deseve del., Caquet sc.; (p. 28) "Emeraude de Siberie."; (p. 32) "1. Aiguemarine ou Émeraude. 2. Cristal de Roche," signed Le Villain sc.; (p. 121) "Agathes-Onyx Spheroïdales. P. 188," signed Caquet sc.; (p. 162) "1. Geode De Calcedoine. 2. Calcedoine Ceillée. P. 168," signed Le Villain sc.; (p. 166) "1. Calcedoine En Prismes. 2. Coupe De La Même Pierre," signed Le Villain sc.; (p. 265) "Jaspe Œillé de Sibérie," signed Le Villain sc.

Volume 3: (p. 3) "Albâtre Onyx Du Cabinet de Besson," signed Le Villain sc.; (p. 128) "Flos-Ferri," signed Jourdan Sculp.; (p. 144) "Stalagmites En Champignons," signed Le Villain Sculp.; (p. 154) "Spath Calcaire En Prismes Hexaedres," signed Le Villain Sculp.; (p. 156) "1. Spath Calcaire Des Landes. 2. Spath Calcaire D'Arragon. 3. Hyacinthes De Composcelle. 4. Sélénite (Do Cabinet de Lelievre)," signed Pierron Sculp.; (p. 163) "1. Spath Calcaire de Daourie. 2. Spath Calcaire lenticulaire," signed Jourdan Sculp.; (p. 168) "Ludus Helmont D'Aberladi, en Ecoße," signed Pierron Sculp.; (p. 212) "Gypse Lenticulaire," signed Le Villain Sculp.; (p. 214) "1. Coupe De La Sélénite En Fer De Flèche. 2. La Mème vue sur le Plat," signed Jourdan Sculp.; (p. 217) "Gypse Fibreux Du Cabinet de Besson," signed Jourdan Sculp.; (p. 218) "Sélénite En Végétationes Du Cabinet de Besson," signed Le Villain Sculp.; (p. 220) "Albâtre Gypseux Veine," signed Jourdan Sculp.; (p. 222) "Stalactite Gypseuse Des Salines," signed Le Villain Sculp.; (p. 227) "Spath-Fluor En Zônes diversement colorées. P. 237."; (p. 280) "Pierre De Florence," signed Le Villain Sculp.; (p. 334) "Grès De Fontainebleau," signed Jourdan Sculp.; (p. 350) "Poudingue D'Angleterre," signed Le Villain Sculp.

Volume 4: (p. 180) "Bismuth De Schneéberg Du Cab. de Besson Insp. des Min.," signed Jourdan Sculp.; (p. 202) "Oxide De Zinc en Grains," signed Pierron Sculp.; (p. 203) "Oxide De Zinc en Grains," signed Le Villain Sc.

Volume 5: (p. 53) "Hematite Botryte," signed Pierron Sculp.; (p. 104) "Cuivre Natif De Sibérie," signed Le Villain Sculp.; (p. 115) "Cuivre Pyriteux En Dendrites De Gross-Camsdorf En Thuringe. (Du Cabinet De Besson)," signed Le Villain.; (p. 128) "Argent En Dendrites, du Pérou," signed Pierron Sculp.; (p. 129) "Argent Natif En Dendrites, dans De L'Agate. (Du Cabinet de Lelievre)," signed Jourdan Sculp.; (p. 310) "Zeolithe De Feroe. 1. Le Rogonon vû par dehors. 2. Coupe transversale."; (p. 326) [No title, fossil ferns], signed Le Villain Sculp.; (p. 385) "Bois Agatisé (Du Cabinet De Besson)," signed Pierron Sculp.; (p. 386A) "Bois Agatisé Contentant Des Vers. (Du Cabinet de Besson)," signed Le Villain Sc.; (p. 386B) "Fougère En Arbre, Agatisée. (Du Cabinet de Besson)," signed Pierron Sculp.

Very scarce. The five volumes described represent Tomes XXVII-XXXI or the complete mineralogy section of Cours Complet d'Histoire Naturelle de Buffon, which was published in 80 volumes. Although the series title page indicates that Patrin's work ostensibly follows Buffon theories, it really does not. Patrin's effort is a separate work, and the product of his own independent research.

The long introduction of the first volume gives an overview of the works purpose, a description of the classification method, comments on the origin of minerals and mineralized deposits and references to the literature. A glossary of mineralogical terms as well as a table of contents to all five volumes is also included. Patrin explains that the many observations of Russian and Siberian sources are from his first hand knowledge and extensive travels in Russia, and the Ural Mountains. Patrin was exceptionally well traveled and many of his observations on minerals of Europe and Scandinavia were based on his personal experience. The text of work describes individual species in rather long essay format, which is its only resemblance to the work of Buffon. A wide variety of minerals are described including, quartz, zircon, Bohemian topaz, amethyst, Russian adventurine, jade, Russian beryls and topazes, gold, silver, copper, volcanic products, amber, sulfur, bitumens, and fossils. Throughout, the somewhat crude plates complement the text with illustrations of minerals described therein. Apparently, copies of the book with these plates either plain or hand-colored could be purchased at the time of publication. In addition, a few copies of the work have been encountered with the plates present in both states.

Bibliographical references: BMC: 1, 281 & 4, 1529. Freilich Sale Catalog: no. 426. LKG: XII 102b. NUC. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 1037.

2. French, 1803 [2nd edition].
Elemens de Minéralogie et de Géologie, ou Histoire Naturelle des Minéraux, considérée dans leurs rapports avec la théorie de la Terre, et contenant leur description particulière, celle de leurs gites, l'histoire de leur formation, les détails de leurs propriétés et de leurs usages, leur analyse chimique, etc. Paris, 1803.

5 vols. Very scarce.

Facsimile reprint, 2001: Elibron Classics, 2001.

Bibliographical references: BMC: 1, 281. NUC. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 1038 [not seen].

3. Italian, 1836 [Italian transl.].
Storia Naturale | Dei | Minerali | Contente La Lor Descrizione, | Quella Del Lor Giacimento, La Teoria Della Lor | Formazione, Le Relazione Che Hanno Colla Geologia | O Storia Della Terra, L'Esposizione Delle Loro | Proprieta, Dei Loro Usi, La Loro Analisi Chimica, | Con Figure Disegnate Dal Naturale | Di | Eugenio Melchivorre Luigi Patrin | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | Traduzione Dal Francese | [ornate rule] | Tomo I [-V]. | Livorno Tipografia Vignozzi. | 1836.

5 vols., consisting of numbers 76 to 80 of the series. [Vol 1] 12°: [2], [1]-200 p., 4 plates (numbered Tav. 85-88; 3 hand-colored).; [Vol 2] 12°: [2], 169-344 p., 4 plates (numbered Tav. 89-92; 3 hand-colored).; [Vol 3] 12°: [2], 345-484 p., 4 plates (numbered Tav. 93-96; 4 hand-colored).; [Vol 4] 12°: [2], 485-626 p., 4 plates (numbered Tav. 97-100; 4 hand-colored).; [Vol 5] 12°: [2], 627-769, [1] p., 4 plates (numbered Tav. 101-104; 4 hand-colored). Page size: 160 x 100 mm.

Contents: [Vol 1] [2 pgs], Half title page, "Continuazione | della | Storia Naturale | Di Buffon. | Tomo LXXVI. Fasc. 1.," verso blank.; [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3]-14, "Introduzione."; [15]-30, "Vocabolario | Compendiato | Di Mineralogia E Di Chemica."; [31]-200, Text.

[Vol 2] [2 pgs], Half title page, "Continuazione | della | Storia Naturale | Di Buffon. | Tomo LXXVII. Fasc. 2.," verso blank.; [No title page].; 169-344, Text.

[Vol 3] [2 pgs], Half title page, "Continuazione | della | Storia Naturale | Di Buffon. | Tomo LXXVIII. Fasc. 3.," verso blank.; [No title page].; 345-484, Text.

[Vol 4] [2 pgs], Half title page, "Continuazione | della | Storia Naturale | Di Buffon. | Tomo LXXIX. Fasc.  ." [No Fasc. number], verso blank.; [No title page].; 485-626, Text.

[Vol 5] [2 pgs], Half title page, "Continuazione | della | Storia Naturale | Di Buffon. | Tomo LXXX. Fasc. 5.," verso blank.; [No title page].; 627-769, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.

Very scarce. Translation of Histoire Naturelle des Mineraux (1st ed., Paris, 1801). The 5 volumes described form volumes 76 to 80 of a much larger series of 102? volumes that represented a complete translation of the 80 volume Cours Complet d'Histoire Naturelle de Buffon. A rare set.

Bibliographical references: NUC.

.