Derby, Orville A.; Estudo sobre O Meteorito de Bendego. Rio de Janeiro, 1896. Large quarto, pp. 90, 26 illustrations and photos.

The work is complete and in contemporary boards and cloth spine with the original title cover preserved. Scuffing to binding and light soiling to covers. X-lib. with catalogue number on lower cover edge and blind stamp on title page edge. The text is clean. Inscribed by Derby on upper cover margin. In very good condition.

Derby (1851-1915) was an American geologist and mineralogist. He studied at Cornell and during his studies spent several seasons with his mentor Professor Charles F. Hartt in Brazil. When Hartt organized the first Geological Commission of Brazil, Derby was appointed its assistant and returned to Brazil in late 1875. In 1877, with the end of the Commission, Derby decided to stay in Brazil and accepted a post at the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro and was to devote his career to the study of the geology, paleontology and mineralogy of Brazil. He published nearly 200 studies on various aspects of the geology of Brazil. His study on meteorites pertains to the large specimen discovered in the province of Bahia near Bendego creek in 1784 and brought to the attention of the government in 1811. Due to the size of the specimen no attempt to move it was made until 1885 and that attempt failed so the specimen was studied at the site. Final removal from the site occurred in 1887 and the specimen reached the museum in 1888. Derby provides an analysis of the iron meteorite, describes its physical characteristics, chemical and mineralogical characteristics and also attempts to date the fall based on early written records.