£400
2 vols., 8vo, pp. xxiv, 452; xiv, 459, [1]. Three folding leaves of tables included in pagination. Contemporary half sprinkled calf, plain grey boards, spines divided by double gilt rules, black morocco labels, other compartments with central gilt tools. Some light toning and spotting. Joints rubbed and one just cracking at head, labels mostly defective. Bookplate of Robert Guthrie of Berwick (engraved by Palmer) to front pastedowns.
The third edition of this major work, 'the first systematic mineralogy in English that is based on the chemical composition of minerals... combined with the Wernerian method of using external features & properties' (Sinkankas, referring to the first edition of 1784). The second edition was 'greatly enlarged and completely rewritten' (Sinkankas, describing the second of 1794-6); this third presumably just reprints the second, since it reproduces its preface verbatim, and Sinkankas only mentions it in passing at the end of his entry for the second edition. It is much scarcer than the earlier editions, with COPAC locating copies in 6 institutions against dozens of ESTC listings for the first two.
