Sowerby, James | Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions

Sowerby, James

Exotic Mineralogy, or, Colored Figures of Foreign Minerals as a Supplement to British Mineralogy. London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817

Two volumes, 8vo (255 x 147 mm; uncut and partially unopened). Title-page to each volume, complete with 168 engraved hand-colored plates numbered 1-72 and 74-169 (plate 73 was not issued), some of which folding, some plates heightened with silver; leaves toned and foxed, offsetting of plates onto text leaves and some folding plates, plates 81 and 89 backed with linen, plate 89 with some loss, a few marginal holes, most plates in volume one stamped with “Wagner Free Institute of Science,” plates 67-72 bound out of order but all present, plate 155 misnumbered 255, lacking index after page 151. Uniformly bound in modern blue morocco and marbled paper boards. Each housed in a clamshell case. 

Sowerby’s supplement to British Mineralogy, focused on mineralogy beyond the British isles.

These volumes contain “the most realistic mineral depictions ever produced by Sowerby,” deemed even superior to his famous plates in British Mineralogy (Schuh). Exceptionally rare, which Schuh attributes to the volumes’ comparative lack of subscribers and perhaps reflecting lesser interest in minerals located outside of Great Britain.

REFERENCES

Schuh 4476

PROVENANCE

Wagner Free Institute of Science (embossed bookplate and stamps)