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"SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS, 1500-1900"
– AN INTRODUCTION", by Gerard L’E Turner, 128 pages, 10" X 7 1/4", cloth binding with color pictorial cover. Included are 91 color, and 20 b & w plates. The author traces the historical origins and development of scientific instruments as their invention spread across the globe, explaining their manufacture, use, and adaptations. The inventive minds of men often produced very ingenious instruments, always with the intent of improving upon previous scientific knowledge about the way things worked in the world, and/or how to measure natural phenomenon. During the process of inventing and producing these various instruments, the scientific minds were often inclined to produce elaborately finished and sometimes artistically decorated items which are nowadays irresistible to collectors. Beginning with astronomy and time-telling instruments, then navigational and surveying instruments, the author describes and pictures numerous ancient as well as fairly modern (1800’s) devices for measuring all sorts of phenomenon. Also included are chapters on drawing and calculating instruments, optical instruments (telescopes, microscopes, cameras), followed by a very interesting and informative chapter on ancient medical instruments (glad we weren’t there to be treated with medical electricity, bloodletting instruments, dental instruments, etc.!). The final chapter deals with some practical advice on the value of antique scientific instruments, and their potential as investments for collectors. A large bibliography is included, along with a list of museums and collections where one can see exhibits of ancient scientific instruments in many European countries, India, the USA, and Canada. Published by the University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 1998. Shipping weight: 3 pounds Order Item BK0566 Price: $40.00 |
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“SILVER”, By W. Lieber, H. Leyerzapf, O. Johnsen, D. Olson, W. Wilson, and C. Panczner, 11” X 8”, 96 pages, nearly 50 color photographs, more than 25 crystal drawings, plus numerous black & white photos of historical mining scenes, maps, woodcuts, tables, and much more, soft cover. The Silver – 1 special issue of the “Mineralogical Record” magazine is the second special issue in the Precious Metals Series. Featured articles include:
The amount of historical information covered here is phenomenal, and the historical mining photographs are extremely interesting. The nearly 50 color photos of Silver specimens from these world famous localities are breathtaking! Exquisite crystallized Silver specimens of many different habits, along with exceptional wire Silver specimens from these world class localities, make this special issue of “The Mineralogical Record” the best collection of photographs and data ever published on the Silver and Silver-bearing minerals found at these famous mining localities. Published by the Mineralogical Record, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, as the special Silver – 1 issue, Volume 17, No. 1, January-February 1986. Shipping weight: 2
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“SMALE COLLECTION, THE
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Beauty in Natural Crystals”,
by Steve Smale, with photographs by Jeff Scovil and Steve Smale. Printed on
extra heavy weight, semi-gloss paper, 204 pages, 11 3/4” X 11 3/4”, hard
cover. The acclaimed photography of Jeff Scovil (70 plates) and Steve Smale
(30 plates) capture the presence of masterpieces from one of the world's
finest private collections---that of celebrated mathematician Steve Smale
and his wife Clara. Captions and commentary by Smale himself provide
context for these important pieces and insight into the mineral specimen
trade. Documentation is related to specimen integrity and includes accurate
locality information, specimen size, chronology of previous owners, record
of published photographs, references to the specimen in the literature, and
the discovery of the pocket in which it was found, if known. The book is
illustrated in full color, and a full page size photograph is devoted to
each specimen, with up to +/- 10” X 9” (calendar) size photographs.
Published by Lithographie, LLC, Connecticut, 2006. ISBN: 9780971537187 |
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“SWEET HOME MINE, THE ”, By T. Moore, B. Lees, K. Weinrich, and 8 other experts, 11” X 8”, 192 pages, 180 color photos, including numerous geologic maps and graphs, soft cover. The Sweet Home Mine is, without a doubt, the finest locality in the world for crystallized Rhodochrosite. The Sweet Home Mine was originally located in 1873 as a Silver mine in Alma County, about 80 miles west of Denver. Although the early day miners failed to find a Silver bonanza, they did note an unusual presence of Rhodochrosite as a gangue mineral. The Rhodochrosite was found not only in common massive form, but also as well developed, deeply colored, euhedral crystals. Due to poor prices on the market for Silver, the Sweet Home Mine, along with other mines in the Alma district, shut down after about 20 years of operation due to lack of a market for the Silver. The Sweet Home was not mined out!!! Several attempts to reopen the Sweet Home Mine kept the property in the interest of various mining companies during the period from the early 1900’s through the early part of 1960. The extraordinary Rhodochrosite finds of the past were not forgotten, and by the mid-1960’s one of the mine owners decided to try to market Rhodochrosite as specimens. The stories of the early days of mining Rhodochrosite for specimens are very interesting reading and, in fact, the chronological account of mining history included in “The Sweet Home Mine” is so interesting you won’t want to put this book down! The chapter covering the new operations at the Sweet Home Mine from 1990 through 1997 reads like a modern day treasure hunting expedition, and the treasure (Rhodochrosite specimens!) is documented with more than 150 color photographs of superb specimens! Separate chapters cover the geology and, in particular, the mineralogy of the Sweet Home Mine in great detail. While Rhodochrosite is by far the most interesting mineral found at this locality, more than thirty minerals have been identified from the deposit including crystallized Fluorite, Hubnerite, Fluorapatite, Pyrite, Hubnerite, Tetrahedrite, Chalcopyrite, Sphalerite, and “needle” Quartz – the latter almost always associated with spectacular rhombohedral crystals of red Rhodochrosite! The final chapter covers the application of ground-penetrating radar to mineral specimen mining – extremely interesting! Published by the Mineralogical Record, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, as the special issue on the Sweet Home Mine, Volume 29, No. 4, July-August 1998.
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“SYSTEMATIC MINERALOGY OF URANIUM AND THORIUM”, C. Frondel, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin #1064, 400 pages, 6 X 9”, soft cover, 1958. This comprehensive report covers work done on behalf of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, and includes information covering all known uranium and thorium-bearing minerals on a worldwide basis. Included are numerous tables and line drawings, and one b & w photo. Each mineral species is described according to its synonymy, composition, crystallography and crystal habit, physical properties, optical properties, synthesis, identification, natural formation, and occurrence. The descriptive mineralogy is followed by determinative tables in which the mineral species are arranged according to their X-ray powder-diffraction interplanar spacings, chemical composition, optical properties, color, specific gravity, and fluorescence. The work is documented by more than 800 references to the world literature of the past 200 years! This is an absolute “must have” reference for anyone interested in radioactive minerals! Published by the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1958. Original, new copy, printed in 1958. Order Item BK-0575 |
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"TOPAZ!" - Edited by Wendell Wilson, 80
pages, 8 1/2 X 11" size, illustrated, soft cover. There are two major articles in
this book: 1. "The Mineralogy, Geology, and Occurrence of Topaz", by M.A.
Menzies, and 2. "Pink Topaz From the Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah", by E.
Ford, W. Chirnside, F. Lichte, and P. Briggs, all from the U.S. Geological Survey in
Denver, Colorado. Topaz occurs in a range of fluorine-rich silica environments, from
plutonic through volcanic, and very rarely metamorphic. Gem crystals in cavities form
under more limited conditions, primarily in granite-derived pegmatites, greisens and rarer
hydrothermal veins, as well as in some rhyolites. Such deposits, worldwide, produce a
variety of habits and colors of this popular mineral and gemstone. Menzies has provided an
outstanding 48 page "mini-book" covering the mineralogy and geology of noted
worldwide Topaz occurrences, and has included a collection of nearly 40 superb color
photographs of crystallized Topaz from around the world. The color photographs are
supplemented by several black and white photos of specimens, line drawings of Topaz
crystal habits, and several tables -- one of the tables lists 45 of the world's most
important gem and mineral localities where notable Topaz gems and/or specimen material
have been found. The article on the Topaz from the Thomas Range in Utah covers the geology
and mineralogy, and has a complete list of all of the accessory minerals identified from
the rhyolite of the district. Also included are several other short papers on Topaz,
reprinted from the Feb. 1995 FM-TGMS-MSA Symposium on Topaz. This soft cover book was
published by the Mineralogical Record, Inc., Tucson, AZ, as Vol. 26. No. l -- the Jan-Feb
1995 special issue entitled "Topaz!" Shipping weight: 2 pounds Order Item: MR26-1 Price: $15.00 |
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"TOURMALINE - 1" - Edited by Wendell Wilson,
8 1/2 X 11" size, 111 pages, illustrated, soft cover. Sub-titled "The first
special issue in the Gem Minerals series", the "Tourmaline - 1" issue is a
collection of 7 articles, each written by an expert in his field, or with first-hand
knowledge and/or experience relative to the mineralogy and geology, as well as the mining
and production of Tourmaline and other gem minerals at each featured locality. Two
articles cover the history of the Tourmaline group, and the mineralogy. Several articles
covering noted Tourmaline producing localities are featured in this special issue: Elba,
Italy, the Shingus-Dusso area of Gilgit, Pakistan, several localities in Nepal, Maine
(USA) pegmatite localities, as well as the Himalaya Mine in So. California (USA). Numerous
color photographs of crystallized Tourmaline specimens are incorporated into each article,
supplemented with many black and white photos, tables, and maps. This soft cover book was
published by the Mineralogical Record, Inc., Tucson, AZ, as Vol. 16, No. 5 -- the Sept-Oct
1985 special issue entitled "Tourmaline". Shipping weight: 2 pounds Order Item: MR16-5 Price: $20.00 |
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