(Born: Marseilles, France, 22 August 1830; Died: 1886) French engineer & geologist.

Simonin studied at the school of mines in Saint Etienne, from which he graduated in 1852. He held positions in France and Italy, and was commissioned by the French government to make several trips to the United States. During these times he visited Cuba, the West Indies, Central America, Panama, and Mexico. In 1867 he was placed at the head of a French commission charged to study the laying out of the Pacific railroad and the preliminary surveys, and in his report greatly praised the work.

Biographical references: ABF: I 960, 408-420. • WBI.

1. French, 1865.
La Richesse Minerale de La France. Paris, Noblet et Baudry, 1865.

8°: 64 p. A short study concerning the mines and mineral resources of France. He speaks of abundant gold being recovered from the alluvial of the Rhine, the Rhone, and other streams coming from the Pyrenees. Rare.

Bibliographical references: NUC. • USGS Library Catalog.

2. French, 1867.
La | Vie Souterraine | Ou | Les Mines Et Les Mineurs | Par L. Simonin | Ouvrage | Illustré De 160 Gravures Sur Bois | De 30 Cartes Tirées En Couleur | Et De 10 Planches Imprimées En Chromo-Lithographie | [ornament] | Paris | Librairie De L. Hachette Et C^ie | Boulevard Saint-Germain, N°77 | [rule] | 1867 | Tous droits réservés.

8°: [4], iii, [1], 604, [1] p., 10 hand-colored lithographic plates (some heightened in gold or silver; 2 of which are of mineral specimens), 30 colored maps (2 double-page), 163 figs. Title in red and black. Page size: 271 x 188 mm.

Very scarce. First appearance of this popular and profusely illustrated work on all aspects of mining, which includes a history of mining, metallurgy and mineralogy, as well as methods, techniques and equipment. The three parts of the book are divided into coal-mining, metal-mining and the mining of precious stones. Simonin also includes sections on mining in America with a map of the sites along Lake Superior and one of California-Nevada. Perhaps the most notable part of this work is its attempt to represent mining life graphically. The many excellent text illustrations are engravings depicting mining techniques and conditions in the mines. A number of the illustrations show details of equipment ranging from drill bits to elevators to miner lamps. A long chapter discusses and pictures various mining accidents. Altogether a very interesting work of broad scope.

Facsimile reprint, 1982: La Vie Souterraine Ou Les Mines Et Les Mineurs Paris, 1982. 8°.

Bibliographical references: BMC: 4, p. 1928. • Dewalque, Catalogue des Ouvrages de Géologie, 1884: no. 1584. • NUC. • Sabin, Dictionary, 1868-1936: no. 81317. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 6060.

Mines and Miners

3. English, 1868 [English transl.].
Mines and Miners, or Underground Life translated by H.W. Bristow. London, Mackenzie, 1868.

4°: [2], [i]-xix, [1], [1]-522 p., 160 engravings, 20 geologically coloured maps and 10 plates of metals and minerals, plus addenda with 2 fold out plans of coal machinery.

Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso printer's information.; [i]-ii, "Author's Preface."-signed L. Simonin.; [iii], "...Note By The Translator."-signed Henry W. Bristow, October 1868.; [iv], "Errata."; [v], "Coloured Illustrations."; [vi], "Geological Maps."; [vii]-x, "Table Of Illustrations."; [xi]-xix, "Table Of Contents."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1], Sectional title page, "Part I. | Coal Mines."; [2], Blank.; [3]-516, Text.; [517]-522, "Index."

Very scarce. Translation by Henry William Bristow of La vie Souterraine (1867).

Henry William Bristow. (Born: 1817; Died: 1889) English geologist. Bristow was educated at King's College, London, and upon graduation in 1842 he entered into the service of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. He retired in 1888.

Bibliographical references: NUC. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 6062 [not seen]. • Zeitlinger & Sotheran, Bibliotheca Chemico, 1921-52: no. 4393. (Bristow) BBA: I 148, 133-138. • Boase, Modern English Biography, 1892-1921. • DNB. • Geological Magazine: 6 (1889), 381-4. • Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: 58. • Poggendorff: 3, 196-7 & 4, 187. • Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 2, 621. • WBI.

4. English, 1869 [American issue].
Underground Life; | Or, | Mines And Miners. | By L. Simonin. | Translated, Adapted To The Present States Of British | Mining, And Edited | By H.W.Bristow, F.R.S., | Of The Geological Survey; Honorary Fellow Of King's College, London. | Illustrated With 160 Engravings On Wood, 20 Maps Geologically Coloured | And 10 Plates Of Metals And Minerals In Chromolithography. | [rule] | New York: | D. Appleton & Co., Grand Street. | 1869.

4°: [2], [i]-xix, [1], [1]-522 p., 64 plates, illus., maps. Title in red and black. Page size: 256 x 178 mm.

Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso printer's information.; [i]-ii, "Author's Preface."-signed L. Simonin.; [iii], "...Note By The Translator."-signed Henry W. Bristow, October 1868.; [iv], "Errata."; [v], "Coloured Illustrations."; [vi], "Geological Maps."; [vii]-x, "Table Of Illustrations."; [xi]-xix, "Table Of Contents."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1], Sectional title page, "Part I. | Coal Mines."; [2], Blank.; [3]-516, Text.; [517]-522, "Index."

Very scarce. American issue of the Bristrow translation. "I have chosen to preserve his text entire when it was possible to do so, making only some few interpolations where they appeared to me to be absolutely necessary... the Geology of the maps has either been revised... or new maps constructed... to replace those in the original work when considered necessary."-{\it Tranlator's note, p. iii.)

London issue, 1869: Underground Life; | Or, | Mines And Miners. | By L. Simonin. | Translated, Adapted To The Present States Of British | Mining, And Edited | By H.W.Bristow, F.R.S., | Of The Geological Survey; Honorary Fellow Of King's College, London. | Illustrated With 160 Engravings On Wood, 20 Maps Geologically Coloured | And 10 Plates Of Metals And Minerals In Chromolithography. | [rule] | London: | Chapman And Hall, 193, Piccadilly. | 1869.

Bibliographical references: NUC. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 6063 [reproduces title page]. • USGS Library Catalog.

Les Pierres

5. French, 1869 [First edition].
Les Pierres | Esquisses Minéralogiques | Par L.Simonin | Ouvrage | Illustré De 91 Gravures Sur Bois a Par Eugène Cicéri, E. Petot, A. Mesnel Et E. Tournois | De 6 Planches Imprimées En Chromo-Lithographie | D'Après Les Aquarelles De A. Faguet | Et De 15 Cartes Tirées En Couleur | [ornate rule] | Paris | Librairie De L. Hachette Et C^ie | Boulevard Saint-Germain, N°77 | [rule] | 1869 | Droits de traduction et de reproduction réservés.

4°: [i]-ix, [3], [1]-516 p., 91 woodcuts by Cicero and others, 6 chromolithographs after Faguet, 15 maps, plans in color. Page size: 273 x 187 mm.

Contents: [Frontispiece].; [i-ii], Title page, verso blank.; [iii], Dedication to George Sand.; [iv], Blank.; [v]-ix, "Préface."-signed L. Simonin, 1 July 1869.; [1 pg], Blank.; [1 pg], Sectional title page, "Première Partie. | La Tribu Des Pierres."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-501, Text.; [502], Blank.; [503]-509, "Table Des Figures."; [510], Blank.; [511]-516, "Table Des Matières."

Very scarce. An important work on mineral extraction and precious stones. Profusely illustrated with fine engraved plates and beautiful color plates of gems, crystals and geological strata, this was a very popular work in its day.

Bibliographical references: NUC. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 6064. • USGS Library Catalog.

.