CANCRIN, Franz Ludwig von.

Erste Gründe der Berg und Salzwerkskunde.

Engraved vignettes on general titles, 540 (of 548, see Part IX below) folding engraved plates, & 18 folding printed tables on 16 leaves. 12 parts bound in 16 vols. 8vo, cont. vellum over boards (Vols. I-IX) and other good cont. bindings for the rest. Frankfurt am Main: Andrea, 1773-91.

First edition of this great work. Cancrin (1738-1812), was an engineer and high government official, both in Germany and in Russia, where he was recruited by Catherine II to manage the Staraya Russa saltworks. “Despite the press of his civil offices, Cancrin found time (1773-1791) to write an encyclopedic work in twenty-one volumes [actually it is 12 titles in 19 parts] that covered all aspects of the mining of metals and salt — including mineralogy, assaying, mathematics, and mechanics. This work brought him a European reputation.”–D.S.B., III, pp. 41-42.

In this set, the binder has removed many of the title-pages for the individual parts, as the general titles supply summary titles. In the following description, we have supplied the exact or summary titles:

Part I. Kurzer Entwurf der Mineralogie. 10 p.l., 272, [24] pp. 1773. Cancrin’s introduction to mineralogy.

Part II. Probierkunst. Ten folding engraved plates. 4 p.l., 296, [14] pp. 1773. On assaying.

Part III. Erste Begriffe der oberirdischen Erdbeschreibung. Three folding engraved plates. 4 p.l., 72, [7] pp. 1773. Concerned with subterranean geological formations and ore deposits.

Part IV. Erste Begriffe der unterirdischen Erdbeschreibung. Eight folding engraved plates. 4 p.l., 72, [7] pp. 1773. Concerned with surface geological formations.

Part V. Kurzer Entwurf der Grubenbaukunst. 57 folding engraved plates. 6 p.l., 244, [16] pp. 1774. This is a richly illustrated work on methods of digging and constructing mines. The plates depict the different kinds of shafts that could be established, the tools used to dig the shafts and remove metals and their ores, methods of securing the shafts, etc.

Part VI, in two vols. Anleitung zur Markscheidekunst. Erster [̵Anderer] Teil. Welcher die Arithmetik, Geometrie und ebene Trigonometrie in sich begreift. 65 folding engraved plates and two tables on one folding sheet. 4 p.l., 808, [60] pp.; 4 p.l., 304, xxxi, [24] pp. Two parts in two vols. 1775-76. A very well-illustrated treatise on underground surveying. Many instruments and machines are depicted.

Part VII, in three vols. Mechanik, Hydrostatik, Aerometrie und Hydraulik. 110 folding engraved plates. 4 p.l., 276, [36] pp.; 6 p.l., 222, [13] pp.; 4 p.l., 32 pp. Three vols. 1777-78-81. Describes the machinery used in mines. The plates are very detailed.

Part VIII. Anleitung zur Scheide oder Aufbereitungskunst der Mineralien. 21 folding engraved plates. 5 p.l., 158, [8] pp. 1782. A complete work on the extraction of metals from ore.

Part IX, in three vols. Schmelzung und Ausscheidung der Metalle aus ihren Erzen. 214 (of 222) folding engraved plates. 5 p.l., 432, [18] pp.; 4 p.l., 168, [5] pp.; 6 p.l., 216, [14] pp. 1784-86-88. On smelting and metallurgy. This part lacks the 12-leaf Anhang to the first volume and its eight plates.

Part X, in three vols. Entwurf der Salzwerkskunde. 52 folding engraved plates & five folding printed tables on three leaves. 7 p.l., 270, [26] pp.; 4 p.l., 284, [18] pp.; 4 p.l., 210, [20] pp. 1788-89-89. A complete work on salt mining and refining.

Part XI. Grundsäzze des teutschen Berg- und Salzrechts zum Gebrauch der vorlesungen entworfen. 1 p.l., x, 210 pp.; 162 pp.; 146 pp.; 110 pp.; [iii]-x, 67, [35] pp. Five parts in one vol. 1790. On the laws concerning mining.

Part XII. Die Bergkameral- und Bergpolizeiwissenschaft. Twelve folding printed tables. 4 p.l., 276, [10] pp. 1791.

A fine and attractive set. The first nine parts, bound in eleven volumes, are in fine contemporary vellum, with the stamp of “Bibliothek Schloss Miltenberg.” The castle is in the town of Miltenberg on the River Main, north of the Odenwald. Most sets are incomplete, lacking parts and/or plates, due to the long span of time it took to publish the complete work.