Ueber das Anquicken der gold- und silberhältigen Erze, Rohsteine, Schwarzkupfer und Hüttenspeise.

Wien, Christian Friedrich Wappler, 1786. 4to (26.5 x 20.2 cm). [xiv] 227 pp.; four engraved title vignettes, of wich one on the title page, 21 folded engraved plates drawn by Fierer and engraved by Ziegler. Original marbled boards. Spine with red morocco label with gilt title. Red speckled edges. First edition of this important work. The Austrian polymath (malacologist, taxonomist, geologist, palaeontologist, metallurgist, etc., etc.) Ignaz Edler von Born (1742-1791) invented an amalgamation process for removing gold and silver from various ores. This process, which saved a considerable quantity of fuel in relation to the usual melting of the ore, was adopted in copper mines throughout Europe, and is still widely used. Von Born was given a share of the savings occasioned by its use (DSB). The English edition was published in London in 1791. Our copy is without frontispiece, which seems to be more often lacking. Provenance: the fine, pictorial bookplate of Dr. Hans u. Helene Bretschneider v. Rechttreu on the front pastedown. The title page and text weakly spotted or toned as usual, the plates are fine with a strong impression. Small handwritten note on the title page. Title page and one other leaf with a paper restoration, the latter with loss of a few letters, but still easily readable. A good copy in a great, authentic and well-preserved binding. DSB 2, p. 316; Hoover, 153; Poggendorff I, 243.