ONE OF THE GREATEST GEMOLOGICAL WORKS BAUER, MAX HERMANN.

Edelsteinkunde. 21 plates, including 8 chromolithographed, each with tissue guards bearing captions with outlines of subjects shown on plates. Thick 4to, 1/4 calf, worn, could use rebinding; first tissue guard a bit chipped at upper corner, a few others with minor unobtrusive creasing, some with adherence of plate to tissue as noted in most copies seen by Sinkankas; ownership signatures of B.M. Sharb on front endpaper and title-page. Leipzig, 1896 first edition of Bauer's famous work most often found in the first English translation of 1904 as Precious Stones with an Appendix on Pearls and Coral (see lot below). It is the first modern encyclopedic treatment of the entire field of gems, precious stones, and gemology and still an invaluable reference especially as regards world gem localities and the scientific study of gemology. "One of the greatest gemological works ever published"--Sinkankas 470.