1. Russian, 1902.
Mineral'noe Tsarstvo. St. Petersburg, 1902.

8°: [i]-viii, [1]-722 p., illus., plates, index. Page size: 264 x 168 mm.

Contents: [i-ii], Title page, verso blank.; [iii]-iv, "{\scyr Soder\char25anie}." [=contents].; [v]-vi, "{\scyr Pereqen\char126 Otd\char43l\char126nyh\char127 Ill\char24strap\char12\char26}."; [vii]-viii, "{\scyr Predqslov\char12e k\char127 russkomu qzdan\char12\char24}."-signed {\scyr S. Sozonov} [=S. Sozonov].; [1]-689, Text.; [690]-722, "{\scyr Predmetny\char26 ukazatel\char126}." [=systematic index].

Very scarce. "Mineral Kingdom" is a textbook that treats the mineralogy, geology, paleontology and mining practices as viewed in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. The basics of mineralogy are covered in the first portion and include crystal form, physical properties, refraction, polarization, chemistry. Gemstones are treated in a long section and include comparisons of diamonds from South Africa and the Urals, rubies, garnets, agates, lapidary craft, etc. Geology, paleontology and mining are covered in later sections. Throughout, the text is heavily illustrated with good quality renderings and scattered plates. These all figure subjects discussed in the text. Remarkably, there does not appear to be a reference to any other literature in this otherwise comprehensive treatment. A complete index at the end makes the work easier to use. The preface is signed by E.S. Sozonov [see note below].

Egor Sergeevich Sozonov. (Born: 26 May 1879; Died: 27 November 1910) Russian revolutionary. Need Biography.

Bibliographical references: BL [no copy listed]. (Sozonov)