Minéralogie à l'usage des gens du monde, contenant les caractères qui servent à reconnaître les minéraux et à les distinguer les uns des autres [...] Avec dix planches en taille-douce.

8vo: 533 pp.; 10 pl. (some light foxing throughout).

Contemp. half calf over marbled boards, spine with sl. later handwritten label, yellow edges (boards rubbed).

Rare popular work on mineralogy by the French naturalist and journalist J.-B. Pujoulx (1762-1821). Sinkankas: "A comprehensive economic geology in which much space is devoted to gemstones. The first part provides several introductory sections including one on noted mineral collections, followed by sections on mineral properties, among them colour, of which several pages are devoted to listings of coloured gemstones. Under "Pierres dures" appear most of the better known gemstones with much space given to the many varieties of quartz. Topaz is treated uniquely on pp. 388-393, while diamond, jet and amber appear under the "Combustibles" in allusion to their carbonaceous compositions. Ill. with 10 engr., numbered pl. incl. frontispiece. The engr. pl. are carefully drawn and executed and display numerous figures of agates, moss agates, and other figured stones and cut gems". The frontispiece depicts the famous "Grottes d'Arcy, département de l'Yonne".
Ref. Sinkankas 5289.