SCHMIDT, F.A.
(1799 – 1863)
Schmidt is a elusive personality about whom surprising little is known. His full name was Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Schmidt, and he used "F.A. Schmidt" as a pen name. According to Schenkenberg (1842), he had a medical practice in Metzingen (Messingen) in Württemberg. He is also listed later by Gistel (1856) as a physician and a "Petrefaktenkenner" or someone knowledgeable about fossils in Metzingen. Schmidt was a member of the Society of Naturalists in Württemberg (Vereins für vaterländische Naturkunde in Württemberg). Besides minerals, he authored other works on fossils, including Die wichtigsten Fundorte der Petrefakten Württembergs (Stuttgart, 1838). Mayer (1976) is the source for his dates.
Although not seen, there might be further information on Schmidt in M. Rauther, "100 Jahre Verein für vaterländische Naturkunde in Württemberg," Jahreshefte des Vereins für vaterländische Naturkunde in Württemberg, Jg. 97-101 (1949), p. vii-xxii. [History of the society from 1844 to 1944.]
Biographical references: Cleevely, World Palæontological Collections, 1983: p. 259. Gistel, Die Naturforscher, 1856: p. 287. Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: p. 385. Mayer, Württembergische Paläontologen, 1976: p. 100-1. Müller, Friedrich. "Die Geologisch-mineralogischen Sammlungen im Fichtelgebirge." Der Aufschluss, 31 (Oktober, 1980), 478-80. [Short article about various Schmidt family member's geological and mineral collections.]. Schenkenberg, Die lebenden Mineralogen, 1842: p. 88.
1. German, 1850 [First edition].
Mineralienbuch, | oder | allgemeine und besondere Beschreibung | der | Mineralien. | Von Dr. F.A. Schmidt, | praktischem Arzte in Meßingen, der Centralstelle des landwirthschaftlichen Vereins, des Vereins für württemb. Vaterlandskunde, | des württemb. ärztlichen und des Vereins für vaterländische Naturkunde in Württemberg wirklichem und | correspondirenden Mitgliede. | [short rule] | Mit 44 colorirten Tafeln. | [ornate rule] | Stuttgart. | Hoffmann'sche Verlags=Buchhandlung | 1850.
4°: π2 1-234; 94l.; [4], [1]-184 p., numerous woodcuts of crystals throughout the text, 44 hand-colored plates. Page size: 256 x 200 mm.
Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], "Vorrede."-signed "Schmidt."; [1]-184, Text.; [At end], 44 hand-colored plates.
Plates: The plates consist of 44 hand-colored, engraved unsigned plates, numbered I-LXIV, showing various numbered specimens of mineralogical interest. Plates are numbered at their upper right hand corner, and at the bottom of each plate is a description of the specimens shown, with an accompanying numeral to match description to illustration. I. 1. Bergkrÿstall. 2. Kalkspathdruse. 3. Moriodruse. 4. Rauchtopas. 5. Amethyst. II. 1. Fesungsagat. 2. Bandagat. 3. Moccastein. 4. Careol. 5. Chrysoprase. 6. Calcedon. 7. Plasma. III. 1. Blutjaspis. 2. Bandjapis. 3. Heliotrop. 4. Brauner Japis. 5. Silberagat. IV. 1. Hornstein. 2. Puddingstein. 3. Fulgurit. 4. Lÿdischer stein. 5. Kieselschiefer. V. 1. gemeiner Opal. 2. Pechopal. 3. Holzopal. 4. Edelopal. VI. 1. Granat. 2. gelber Granat. 3. Staurolith. 4. Smaragd. 5. gem Berÿll. 6. Topaz. VII. 1. Epidote. 2. Pÿcnit. 3. Vesuvian. 4. Schörl. VIII. 1. Blätterzeolith. 2. Faserzeolith. 3. Strahlzeolith. 4. Natrolith. IX. 1&2. Chrÿsoberÿll [=alexanderite, Russia].
X. 1. Axinite. 2. Andalusit. 3. Smirgel. 4. Cÿanit [=axinit, analusite, ??, kyanite]. XI. 1. Lapis lazuli. 2. Scapolith mit Granat. 3. Leucit. 4. Hauÿn. [=lapis lazuli, scapolite with garnet, leucite and haüyn]. XII. 1. Erdiger Chlorit. 2. Prehnit. 3. Lithionglimmer. 4. Pinit. 5. Harmotom. XIII. 1. Wavellit. 2. Chiastolith. 3. Eläolith. 4. Blauspath. XIV. 1a&b. Türkis. 2. Feldspathkrÿstall. 3. Verglaster Feldspath. 4. Adular. 5. Periklin. 6. Diopsid. XV. 1. Laprador. 2. Olivin. 3. Diallag. 4. Smaragdit. XVI. 1. Obsidian. 2. Pechstein. 3. Perlstein. 4. Porzellanjaspis. XVII. 1. Speckstein. 2. Steinmark. 3. Siegelerde. 4. Bolus. 5. Gelberde. 6. Borazit. 7. Nephrit. 8. Spinell. XVIII. Serpentine [4 figures]. XIX. 1. gem Asbest. 2. schillernder Asbest. 3&4. Kalkspath. [=tigereye, ??, calcite].
XX. 1&2. Kalksinter. 3. Erbsenstein. 4. Arragonit. XXI. 1. Tuff. 2. Ruinenmarmor. 3. Gÿps. 4. Polÿhalit. XXII. 1. Strahlgÿps. 2. Schaumgÿps 3. Gÿpskrÿstall. 4. Anhÿdrit. XXIII. Flussspathe [=Flourite; 4 figures]. XXIV. 1. Spargelstein. 2. Apatit. 3. Hornblende. 4. Augit. XXV. 1. Actinolit. 2. Tremolit. 3. Acmit. XXVI. 1. Barÿtspath. 2. Fasercölestein. 3. Cöleslinspath. 4. Strontianit [=Strontanite]. XXVII. 1. Anthracit. 2. Braunkohle. 3. Steinkohle. 4. Alaunschiefer. XXVIII. 1. Schwefelanflug. 2. Schwefelerz. 3. Schwefelkrystall. 4 u. 5. Bernstein. 6. Sphen. [=??, ??, ??, amber, sphene]. XXIX. 1. Magnetisen. 2. Rotheisen. 3. Chromeisen. 4. Braunstein.
XXX. 1. Meteoreisen. 2. Spatheisen. 3. Bohnerz. 4. Glaskopf. XXXI. Gangstück. (Spalheisen, Blende u. Quartz.). XXXII. 1. Kupferkies. 2. Kupferlasur. 3. Kupfernickel. 4. Rothkupfererz [=chalcopyrite, ??, ??, cuprite]. XXXIII. 1. Malachit. 2. Cerit. 3. Rothgültig Erz. 4. Phosphorsaueres Kupfer. 5. Kupferglanz. XXXIV. 1. Gold. 2. Gedieyen Silber. 3. Fahlerz. 4. Silberglaserz. 5. Amalgam. 6. Zinober. XXXV. 1. Roth- 2. Grün- 3. Weiss- 4. Gelb-Bleierz. [=crocoite, pyromorphite?, cerussite, wulfenite]. XXXVI. 1. Traubenblei. 2. Bleischeelat. 3. Uranpecherz. 4. Zinnspath. XXXVII. 1. Speiskobalt. 2. Kobaltblüthe. 3. Arsenkies. 4. Auripigment u. Realgar. XXXVIII. 1. Gruantimon. 2. Nickelglanz. 3. Molÿbdänglanz. 4. Rutil. XXXIX. 1. Galmÿ. 2. Zinkblende. 3. Manganglanz. 4. Wolfram.
XL. 1, 2 u. 3. Säulen-Baslate. 4. Basalt. 5 u. 6. Congomeramt. XLI. 1. Aelterer- 2. Schrift- 3. Fein. 4. Grobkorniger Granit. XLII. 1. Sÿenit. 2. Gneiss. 3. Glimmerschiefer. 4. Napoleonit. XLIII. 1. Grunstein. 2. Porphyr. 3. Eklogit. 4. Grunsteinporphÿr. XLIV. 1. Mandelstein. 2. Dolerit. 3. Trachÿt. 4. Aetna-Lava 1819.
Very scarce. The work begins with an introduction to the physical characters of minerals, including form, hardness, specific gravity, color, phosphoresence, magnetism, electricity, and chemistry of minerals. Following this are standard descriptions of various minerals, some of which are illustrated on the plates. Included among the discussed and rendered species are quartz crystals, agates, beryls, emeralds, and topazes. Each plate shows four or more specimens, and although most species are easily recognized from their portrait, the plate quality is cruder than other comparable works. Yet this work ranks among the finer hand-colored mineralogies published.
Bibliographical references: BMC: 4, 1847. NUC: 527, 311 [NS 0234527].
2. German, 1855 [2nd edition].
Mineralienbuch | oder | allgemeine und besondere Beschreibung | der | Mineralien. | Von | Dr. F.A. Schmidt, | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | [short rule] | Mit 44 colorirten Tafeln. | [short rule] | Neue, durch ein Register vermehrte Ausgabe. | [ornate rule] | Stuttgart. | Verlag von Krais & Hoffmann. | 1855.
4°: π2 1-234 243; 97l.; [4], [1]-190 p., numerous woodcuts of crystals in the text, 44 hand-colored plates. Page size: 245 x 190 mm.
Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], "Vorrede."-signed "Schmidt."; [1]-184, Text.; [185]-190, "Register."; [At end], 44 hand-colored plates.
Plates: Identical to those issued in the first edition of 1850.
Very scarce. Second edition. Contains the same text and plates as the original 1850 edition, but with the addition of an index. The lithography of the plates is somewhat improved in this edition with all minerals receiving a full coloring within their outlines.
Bibliographical references: NUC: 527, 311 [NS 0234528].
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