Choosing a book among the many wonderful books at the Iron Library was a somewhat Herculean task. The collection is rich in books that offer incredible insight into many areas, and especially interesting to me were those on mineralogy, the subterranean world, and alchemy.
A book that truly impressed me was Casimir Christoph Schmiedels' 1753 "Erz Stuffen und Berg Arten mit Farben genau abgebildet". It appears modest — thin and slightly larger than a typical novel — making it easy to miss on a library shelf. However, inside, it contains stunning, vivid images of mineral specimens.
The book consists of 26 Copperplate prints, each depicting a mineral that has been meticulously hand-colored using what appear to be multiple media. The pictures are vibrant and informative, each including the mineral's alchemical symbol and a dedicated written section. Including the alchemical symbol for each book highlights the role of alchemy alongside the empirical study of minerals. Some of the images have lettered annotations that correspond to points made in the accompanying text; others include images of crystal formations, close-up details, and secondary views. The drawings alone highlight an interest in understanding minerals, how they formed, and where they were to be found.
The text, which makes up the first half of the book, is divided into sections, each focusing on a single mineral. The writing makes it clear that these minerals are not idealized examples of specimens and where to find them, but rather a collection of minerals with detailed notes on exactly where each specimen was found, how it was found in nature, and what the surrounding area looked like. It reads like the documentation of an actual collection, with each specimen described and its details corresponding to the previously mentioned annotations. The attention to detail in this little booklet highlights what was most important in mineral knowledge - appearance, origin, and surrounding vegetation or minerals. It is both a book of mineral knowledge and a handbook for finding minerals and understanding them when found.
To me, this book brings together exceptional artisanal skill, natural knowledge, and alchemy. It offers information that could be useful to miners and prospectors, as well as to alchemists, natural philosophers, and learned gentlemen of the 18th century. It’s a handbook with an attention to detail that also indicates the value of the knowledge it presents.
