Fersmann, Aleksandr Evgenevich & Goldschmidt, Victor Moritz; Der Diamant, Eine Studie. Heidelberg, 1911. Quarto, 2 volumes. Volume 1, text, pp. xvii, 274, 2 pages advertisements, 206 text figures. Volume 2, atlas, 43 plates, many in color, some plates with printed and colored waxed overlays.

The set is complete and in the original gold colored soft cover wraps with red titles. Light soiling to the wraps, ownership signature of noted mineralogist Kurt Servos on covers. The text and plates are uncut and thus were never read. In very good to near fine condition.
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Fersmann (1883-1945); a Russian mineralogist, crystallographer and geochemist, devoted much of his life to the study of the mineral resources of the Urals, Crimea, Caucasus and other areas of Russia. These studies often led to the discovery of major new economic resources. He is also noted for his pioneering systematic studies on pegmatites and gemstones, particularly those found in Russia. His studies led to the naming of 19 new minerals. His interest in gems led to several major works on the subject. His work Der Diamant" coauthored with the noted German mineralogist Goldschmidt is still considered one of the best studies of the morphology of diamond crystals. It includes an historical review of earlier investigations and contains a massive bibliography of 402 references. The atlas of 43 plates contains 292 figures of crystals. The shaded crystal drawings are after actual stones. The first part of the text treats general crystallography, the solubility of diamond, and its etch figures. The second part provides a historical review of previous investigations on the diamond. The last part is devoted to the morphology of crystals including diamond twins. The atlas is remarkable for its shaded crystal drawings after actual stones which are in addition to the idealized crystal form drawings and several photographs.