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WALCH, Johann Ernst Immanuel.

(1725 – 1778)

(Born: Jena, Germany, 30 August 1725; Died: 1 December 1778) German palaeontologist & geologist.

Biographical references: ADB: 40, 652-5. Baldinger, Biographien Ärzte, 1768-71. Cleevely, World Palæontological Collections, 1983: 299. DBA: I 1325, 401-460; II 1358, 411,414-415, 421. Drugulin, Sechstausend Portraits, 1863: nos. 5755-57. DSB: 14, 119-20 [by B. von Freyberg]. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition. Freyberg, Geologische Erforschung Thüringens, 1932. Günther, Lebensskizzen der Professoren, 1858. Hirsching, Historisch-literarisches Handbuch, 1794-1815. Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: 449. Meusel, Verstorbenen Teutschen Schrifsteller, 1802-16. Möller, R., "Johann Ernst Immanuel Walch. Sein Leben und wissenschaftliches Werk", NTM-Schriftenr. Gesch., Naturwiss., Technik, Med., Leipzig, 9, (1972), no. 2, 70-93, portrait, illus. Poggendorff: 2, col. 1244. Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 3, ????. WBI. World Who's Who in Science: 1747.

1. German, 1762-4 [First edition].
Das | Steinreich | systematisch entworfen | von | Joh. Ernst Immanuel Walch | der Beredsamkeit und Dichtkunst ordentl. öffentlicher Lehrer | auf der Universität zu Jena. | [ornament] | [ornate rule] | Mit vielenKupfern. | Halle | bey Johann Justinus Gebauer. 1762.

2 vols. [Vol 1: 1762] 8°: [1]-140, [8] p., 24 folding plates. [Vol 2: 1764] 8°: [1]-172 p. Page size: 196 x 108 mm.

Contents: [Vol 1] [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3], Dedication to "Druchlauchtigsten Fürsten" and Mrs Annen Amalien.; [4], Blank.; [5]-[8], Text of dedication, signed Joh. Ernst Immanuel Walch, 3 Sept. 1762.; [9]-28, "Vorrede."- printer's device, p. 28.; [29], "Lithographische Tabellen."; 30-33, "Allgemeine Tabellen über das gesamte Steinreich."; 34-36, "Besondere Tabelle über die Versteinerungen."; [37]-43, "Das Erste Capitel. Von dem Steinreich und allen denen dahin gehörigen Körpern überhaupt."; 44-140, "Das zweyte Capitel von den versteinten Körpern."; [7], "Register."; [1], Blank.; [At end], 25 folding plates.

[Vol 2] [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3]-16, "Vorrede."; [1]-4, "Erstes Capitel, von der Erzeugung der Steine. Inhalt."; 5-116, Text.; [117], "Zweytes Capitel, von den Eigenschaften der Steine. Inhalt."; 118-166, Text.; [167]-172, "Register."

Rare. First edition of this major palaeontological work, based upon Walch's cabinet of fossils and minerals. 'In his travels Walch had visited natural history collections and had begun to assemble one himself, composed primarily of rocks and fossils, for which he outlined an exact system that he published in 1761 [sic; it should read 1762] - 1764' (DSB). It was this work which formed the classificatory basis of his completion of Knorr's 'Die Naturgeschichte der Versteinerungen' (1768-1773), the greatest work on fossils published in the eighteenth century. 'In this work Walch presented the first comprehensive palaeontology ordered according to the zoological system... Moreover, in addition to a basic systematics of all the forms known to him, Walch provided a general paleontology (deposition, sedimentary facies, facies distribution) and a history of palaeontology that is still worth reading. His recognition that fossils are members of a sequence linked by historical descent was a fundamental perception. Walch made the previously muddled study of fossils into a science' (ibid.). The first volume consists of an overview of the mineral kingdom, and an examination of fossils; the twenty-four plates illustrate over a hundred fossil specimens. The second volume is on the origins of minerals and fossils.The plates are very well executed drawings principally of fossil shells, croniods and moullusces.

Bibliographical references: Berlinische Sammlungen: 3, 334-35. BL [no copy listed]. Freilich Sale Catalog: no. 540. Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 27. Göttingische gelehrte Anzeigen: 1763, 274 & 1764, 1113. LKG: XVII 42b. NUC: 645, 263 [NW 0026767]. Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 2267.

2. German, 1769 [2nd edition].
Das | Steinreich | systematisch entworfen | von | Joh. Ernst Immanuel Walch | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | [ornate rule] | Mit vielen Kupfern. | [ornament] | [rule] | Neue sehr vermehrte Auflage. | [ornate rule] | Halle, | bey Johann Justinus Gebauer. 1769

2 vols. 24 folding plates. Very rare.

Bibliographical references: Berlinische Sammlungen: 3, 334-35. BL [953.e.4.]. Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 27. Jenaische gelehrte Zeitungen: 1769, 701. NUC: 645, 263 [NW 0026768].

3. Russian, 1784 [Russian transl.].
Валhа Каменное cарство, перевел Андрей Нартов, действhтельный статский советпик, Госыдарствнной Берг-коллегии виcе-президент. Монетhаго департамента, разныh ученыh овществ член ... Ст. Петерсбург, При Имп. Акад. Наук, 1784.

Transliterated title:

Valha Kamennoe carstvo, perevel Andreia Nartov, deiastvhtel'nyia statskiia sovetpik, Gosydarstvnnoia Berg-kollegii vice-prezident. Monethago departamenta, raznyh uqenyh ovwestv qlen ... St. Petersburg, Pri Imp. Akad. Nauk, 1784.

4°: [11], 146 p., 24 plates.

Rare. Translation by Andrei Andreevich Nartov [1737-1813] of Das Steinreich (2nd ed., Halle, 1769).

Bibliographical references: NUC: 645, 263 [NW 0026752]. Sopikov, Essay in Russian Bibliography, 1904-8: no. 2375. Svodnyi Katalog Russkoi Knigi: no. 832.

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