(Born: Friedrichsfelde, Germany, 25 June 1721; Died: Berlin, Germany, 22/23 December 1772) German theologian & mineralogist.

Woltersdorff was a preacher at several churches in Berlin. As a hobby he collected a large mineral collection.

Biographical references: ADB: 44, 184. • DBA: I 1393, 302-303; II 1429, 354. • Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: 465. • Meusel, Verstorbenen Teutschen Schrifsteller, 1802-16. • Poggendorff: 2, col. 1364. • WBI. • Woltersdorff, J.L., Ehrengedächtniss von Silberschlag. Berlin, 1772. [Contains some autobiographical information on Woltersdorff].

System Minerale, 1748

1. Latin & German, 1748 [First edition].
Systema Minerale | In Quo | Regni Mineralis Producta Omnia | Systematice | Per | Classes, Ordines, Generea Et Species | Proponuntur. | [rule] | Mineral=System | worin | alle zum Mineral=Reich gehörige Körper | in ordentlichen Zusammenhange | nach ihren | lassen, Ordunguen, Geschlechtern und Arten | vorgetragen werden | von | Johann Lucas Woltersdorff. | [rule] | Berlin, gedruckt bey Christian Ludeweig Kunst. 1748.

Oblong 4°: A-F⁴ G²; 26l.; [1]-52 p. Text in two and three columns to a page, and in Latin and German. Page size: 220 x 280 mm.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3], Dedication to "Academiæ Regiæ Borussicæ."; [4], Blank.; 5-8, "Præfatio | Ad Lectorem Benevolum." and "Vorrede | an den geneigten Leser."-signed Johann Lucas Woltersdorff, 4 May 1748 (=forword in Latin and German in double columns).; 9-52, Text.

Very rare. In attempting to organize his mineral collection in 1740, Woltersdorff found difficulties in the pervailing systems of Gesner, Woodward, and Scheuchzer. He there after developed his own method which is an early attempt to classify species by chemical composition. The text present this classification in a series of tables in Latin and German. The major divisions are earths, stones, salts, hard earths, semi-metals, metals and petrifications.

Bibliographical references: Beekman, Systematische Mineralogie, 1906: pp. 22-4. • BL [457.b.7.(1.)]. • Cobres, Deliciæ Cobresianæ, 1782: 2, 685-6. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 26-7. • Kobell, Geschichte der Mineralogie, 1864: 62-4. • Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: p. 36. • LKG: XII 30. • Wallerius, Brevis Introductio, 1779: 82.

2. Latin & German, 1755 [2nd edition].
Systema Minerale | In Quo | Regni Mineralis Producta Omnia | Systematice | Per | Classes, Ordines, Genera Et Species | Proponuntnr. | Mineral=System | worin | alle zum Mineral=Reich gehörige Cörper | in ordentlichem Zusammenhange | nach ihren | Classen, Ordnungen, Geschlechtern und Arten | vorgetragen werden | von | Johann Lucas Woltersdorff. | Neue, von dem Verfasser selbst vermehrte und verbesserte Auflage. | [ornate rule] | Berlin, 1755. | Im Verlag der Buchhandlung der Real=Schule.

Oblong 4°: A-G⁴ H²; 30l.; [1]-60 p. Text in two and three columns to a page, and in Latin and German.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [2]-[3], "Præfatio | Ad Lectorem Benevolum." and " Vorrede | an den geneigten Leser.'-signed Johann Lucas Woltersdorff, 4 May 1748.; [4]-8, "Præfatio Nova." and "Neue Vorede."; [9]-60, Text.

Rare. The text is in double column of Latin and German.

Bibliographical references: BL [457.b.7.(2.)]. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 26-7. • Schröter's Journal für die Liebhaber: 1, 141-2.

3. Latin & German, 1755 [3rd edition].
Systema Minerale | In Quo | Regni Mineralis Producta Omnia | Systematice | Per | Classes, Ordines, Genera Et Species | Proponuntur. | [rule] | Mineral=System | worrin | alle zum Mineral=Reich gehörige Cörper | in ordentlichem Zusammenhange | nach ihren | Classen/ Ordnungen/ Geschlechtern und Arten | vorgetragen werden | von | Johann Lucas Wolterdorff. | Anjetzo mit neuen Observationen auch einer Nachricht | von der sonst geheimen Kunst das Holtz zu versteinen | herausgegeben | von | Eberhard Friedrich Stadel, Apothecker in Ulm. | [ornate rule] | Ulm, auf Kosten des Verfassers | und in Commission | bey Daniel Bartholomäi und Sohn, 1755.

Oblong 4°: π¹ A-F⁴ G²; 27l.; [1]-54 p. Text in two and three columns to a page, and in Latin and German. Page size: 205x 250 mm.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3]-4, "Neue Vorrede."-signed Eberhard Friedrich Stadel, 4 February 1755.; 5-8, Forward, written in both Latin and German, signed Johannes Lucas Woltersdorff.; 9-44, Text.; 45-52, "Observations."; 53-54, "Neue Observations."

Rare. Edited by Eberhard Friedrich Stadel. The volume begins (pp. 3-4) with a new forward (in German only) by Stadel which discusses the works merits. This is followed (pp. 5-8) by a reprint of the author's forward (Latin & German) that describes reasons why minerals should be classified according to their internal composition as opposed to external properties. Pages 9-44 discuss the system in a series of tables with the Latin phrasing above the German. Concluding the work (pp. 45-52 and pp. 53-54) are two appendixes. These discuss various minerals and properties of substances belonging to the mineral kingdom.

Bibliographical references: BL [871.h.78.]. • Cobres, Deliciæ Cobresianæ, 1782: 2, 686. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 26-7. • LKG: XII 30. • Schröter's Journal für die Liebhaber: 1, 141. • Wallerius, Brevis Introductio, 1779: 82.

4. German, 1772 [Sale catalog].
Vollständiger Catalogus des Mineralienkabinets, welches der selige Herrn Johann Lucas Woltersdorff hinterlassen hat. Berlin, Bosse, [1772].

8°: 110 p.

Very rare. Perhaps this is the title of the auction sale catalog of Woltersdorff's collection.

Bibliographical references: Berlinische Sammlungen: 5, 107. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 265. • LKG: XV 30.

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