George Frederick Kunz was an American mineralogist and mineral collector.

Overview

Kunz was born in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, USA, and began an interest in minerals at a very young age. By his teens, he had amassed a collection of over four thousand items, which he sold for four hundred dollars to the University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...

. Kunz attended Cooper Union

Cooper Union

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...

 but did not finish and did not attend college. Nonetheless, he taught himself mineralogy

Mineralogy

Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...

 from books and field research. This expertise landed him a job with Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...

, and his knowledge and enthusiasm propelled him into a vice presidency by the time he was 23. He gained much notoriety for identifying a new gem variety of the mineral spodumene

Spodumene

Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate, LiAl2, and is a source of lithium. It occurs as colorless to yellowish, purplish, or lilac kunzite , yellowish-green or emerald-green hiddenite, prismatic crystals, often of great size...

 which was named "Kunzite" in his honor.

He headed up the US mining and mineralogical exhibits at the international expositions in Paris (1889)

Exposition Universelle (1889)

The Exposition Universelle of 1889 was a World's Fair held in Paris, France from 6 May to 31 October 1889.It was held during the year of the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, an event traditionally considered as the symbol for the beginning of the French Revolution...

, Chicago (1893)

World's Columbian Exposition

The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...

, Atlanta (1895)

Cotton States and International Exposition (1895)

The 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition was held at the current Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. It is most remembered for the speech given by Booker T. Washington on September 18, 1895....

, Paris (1900)

Exposition Universelle (1900)

The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from April 15 to November 12, 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next...

, and St. Louis (1904)

Louisiana Purchase Exposition

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...

. He gave a series of eight lectures on "Precious Stones" for the Lowell Institute

Lowell Institute

The Lowell Institute is an educational foundation in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., providing for free public lectures, and endowed by the bequest of $250,000 left by John Lowell, Jr., who died in 1836. Under the terms of his will 10% of the net income was to be added to the principal, which in...

's 1894-95 season. As a gentleman scientist

Gentleman scientist

A gentleman scientist is a financially independent scientist who pursues scientific study as a hobby. The term arose in post-Renaissance Europe but became less common in the 20th century as government and private funding increased.-History:...

, he was a member of the Mineralogical Society of America

Mineralogical Society of America

The Mineralogical Society of America is a scientific membership organization. MSA was founded in 1919 for the advancement of mineralogy, crystallography, geochemistry, and petrology, and promotion of their uses in other sciences, industry, and the arts...

, the American Association for the Advancement of Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science

The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...

, New York Academy of Sciences

New York Academy of Sciences

The New York Academy of Sciences is the third oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, non-profit organization with more than members in 140 countries, the Academy’s mission is to advance understanding of science and technology...

 (of which he was once a vice president), the New York Mineralogical Club

New York Mineralogical Club

The New York Mineralogical Club is the second oldest mineral club in the United States. The club was founded by George Frederick Kunz, Benjamin B. Chamberlin and Professor Daniel S. Martin, on September 21, 1886 in the home of Professor Daniel S. Martin at 236 West 4th Street, New York City...

, the American Scenic and Preservation Society (for which he served as president), the American Chemical Society

American Chemical Society

The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...

, the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers

American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers

The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers is a professional body for mining and metallurgy, with 90,000 members. It was founded in 1871 by 22 mining engineers in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States, being one of the first national engineering societies in the...

 (of which he was once a vice president), and many other cultural, scientific, and naturalist organizations.

He was the founder and president of the Museums of the Peaceful Arts in 1913, special agent for the US Geological Survey (1883–1909), a research curator at the Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...

 in New York City, and the leading advocate in the establishment of the international carat as a unit of measure for precious gems. He also assembled the Morgan-Tiffany collection of gems in the American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...

. Kunz had an active life dedicated to science and public service.

Kunz promoted the adoption of the decimal metric system of weights and measures in the United States and was President of the American Metric Association.

Awards

He was given many honorary degrees from US and European universities. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from the Cooper Union in 1872.

• Columbia University (AM, June 8, 1898) The award was presented by Professor James F. Kemp, professor of Geology at Columbia;
• University of Marburg (Ph.D., 1903), especially for his contributions to European and German mineralogy. Surprisingly, in 1920, in a fairly unique act, this honorary award was withdrawn by the university faculty due [according to Dr. Kunz] to his efforts to help reforest France, and his supposed sympathies to the French and English allies against Germany.
• Knox College of Illinois (Sc. D., 1907).

He wrote over 300 articles during his life. Almost eighty years after his death, many of his books are still in print.

Kunz married Sophia Hanforth in 1879, who died in 1912. In 1923, Kunz married Opal Logan Giberson, a noted aviatrix, but soon annulled the marriage. Nonetheless, Opal Kunz

Opal Kunz

Opal Kunz, also known as Opal van Zandt Giberson Kunz was a noted early American aviator, the first president of the "Ninety-Nines", a women pilots’ organization, that was formed in her living room, and an early feminist. She was married to Dr. George Frederick Kunz.As an aviatrix, Opal Kunz...

 continued to maintain Kunz's household until his death, on June 29, 1932.

Selected Writings

• Kunz, George F. and Charles Hugh Stevenson (1869-?). The Book of the Pearl: The History, Art, Science and Industry of the Queen of Gems. New York: The Century Co., 1908.

  548 pages, 125 plates and illustrations (17 colored); maps.

• Kunz, George F. Catskill Aqueduct Celebration Publication: A Collection of Pamphlets Published in Connection with the Celebration of the Completion of the Catskill Aqueduct, being Chiefly Catalogues of Exhibitions Held by Art, Scientific and Historical Museums and Institutions in New York City in Cooperation with the Mayor’s Catskill Aqueduct Celebration Committee in 1917. Arranged by George Frederick Kunz, Chairman of the Committee on Art, Scientific and Historical Exhibitions. New York: The Mayor’s Catskill Aqueduct Celebration Committee. 1917.

  266 pages, illustrations including maps, facsimiles, portraits.

• Kunz, George F. 1913. Curious Lore of Precious Stones: Being a Description of their Sentiments and Folk Lore, Superstitions, Symbology, Mysticism, Use in Medicine, Protection, Prevention, Religion, and Divination, Crystal Gazing, Birth Stones, Lucky Stones and Talismans, Astral, Zodiacal and Planetary. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co. 1913.

  Six color plates (including the tissue-guarded frontispiece), scores of double-tone photographs and inter-textual line cuts. “With heartfelt appreciation of the noble spirit that conceived and founded the Morgan-Tiffany Collection of gems and minerals and the Morgan-Bement Collections of minerals and meteorites of the American Museum of Natural History, and the Morgan Collection of the Musée D’Histoire Naturelle of Paris, and whose kindly advice and encouragement have done so much for the precious stone art, this volume is respectfully dedicated to the memory of the late J. Pierpont Morgan.” 406 pages, 86 illustrations in color, doubletone and in-line. “Being a description of their sentiments, superstitions symbolism, mysticism, use in protection, prevention, religion and divination, crystal gazing, birth-stones, lucky stones and talismans, astral, zodiacal, and planetary.”

• Kunz, George Frederick. “The genesis of the diamond” Science, pp. 450–456, 1897
• Baskerville, Charles; Kunz, G F. “Kunzite and its unique properties” American Journal of Science, vol.18, no.103, pp. 25–28, Jul 1904
• Kunz, George Frederick. “The cause of the San Francisco earthquake” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, pp. 289–290, 1908
• Kunz, George Frederick. “Diamonds in North America” Geological Society of America Bulletin, vol.42, no.1, pp. 221–222, Mar 1931.
• Kunz, George F. Gems and Precious Stones of North America: A Popular Description of Their Occurrence, Value, History, Archaeology, and of the Collections in Which They Exist; Also a Chapter on Pearls, and on Remarkable Foreign Gems Owned in the United States. Illustrated with eight colored plates and numerous minor engravings. New York: The Scientific Publishing Co. 1890. 336 pages. Second edition with Appendix, 367 pp. 24 Pls., 1892.
• Kunz George F. Gems, Jewelers’ Materials, and Ornamental Stones of California. Bulletin of the California State Mining Bureau. 1905. California State Mining Bureau, Bulletin #37. 171 pages. 1905. (K480(276) K96) Also published as a second edition with a slightly changed title: “Semi-precious Stones, Gems, Jewelers’ Materials and Ornamental Stones of California.” “The report referred to is Kunz’s Gems, Jeweler’s Materials and Ornamental Stones of California, 1905. Even the publication of this work evoked controversy. Kunz’s name does not appear on the title page nor the outside of the book. However, Lewis Aubury, State Mineralogist of California, does give Kunz a thank you in print for all his efforts. Kunz, although he must have been upset by the snub, according to tradition, promptly obtained a quantity of the reports for personal distribution, had them bound in a kunzite-pink cloth, and had his name stamped on the title page and cover!” Pages 36-44 give a summary of the diamond occurrences in California.
• Kunz, George Frederick. History of the Gems Found in North Carolina. Raleigh: E.M. Uzzell & Co., public printers and binders, 1907. xvii, 60 p., 15 pages of plates, 4 colored plates. Bulletin (North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey); no. 12. North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey. A hard bound copy of this item is also held in the Kunz Collection of the USGS Library, but is not cataloged. [302] A thorough report, prepared by Kunz at the behest of the North Carolina authorities in time for distribution at the Jamestown [Virginia] Exposition. The illustrations include a number of notable specimens, some drawn from the Morgan-Tiffany and Morgan-Bement Collections at the American Museum of Natural History. The four color plates, for which this work is especially noted, were printed by Prang. Pages 5-9 discusses the history of various diamond occurrences. Gemology bibliographer John Sinkankas states, "The photographs are of very good quality, but it is the richly colored lithographs that make this work as highly prized for them as for the text. ..Plate 3 facing page 9 depicts what was then the largest emerald crystal mined in North Carolina; it is the same that was stolen in 1950 from the American Museum of Natural History in New York and never recovered. Also upon this plate, pasted in its upper right-hand corner, is a small rectangle of a diamond crystal from Dysortville, while the plate numeral of "III" is obviously an erased area which bore some other number, now unknown." Of all of Kunz's major works, "History of the Gems Found in North Carolina" is by far his rarest book in the antiquarian book market.
• Kunz, George F. Ivory
  Ivory
  Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
  
   and the Elephant
  Elephant
  Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
  
   in Art, in Archaeology, and in Science. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Co. Pages: 527. 1916. Illustrated with over 150 full-page plates, four folding plates and maps, text illustrations. Kunz's classic study of the procuring and working of ivory, from the ancient period to modern times. Chapters on evolution and development of the elephant, on elephant hunting and on the art and commerce of ivory carving. The book is dedicated to Prof. Alfred Lacroix, curator of the Mineralogical Department of the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris. This is the most scarce of all Dr. Kunz' works, and includes information not found in other publications by Dr. Kunz. There were at least three editions of this book printed. After the public edition, a separate edition was published first for the “Belgian Congo Edition,” then a third copy run was published for the “Hobby Club”, established 1911.
• Kunz, George F. The Magic of Jewels and Charms. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company. 1915. 422 pages with 90 illustrations in color, doubletone and line. Facts and fancies about a fascinating subject, including anecdotal history and research from India to the Americas. “Magic jewels and electric gems; meteorites or celestial stones; stones of healing; fabulous stones; concretions and fossils; snake stones and bezoars; charms of ancient and modern times; facts and fancies about precious stones. Each profusely illustrated in color, doubletone and line. Octavo. Handsome cloth binding, gilt top, in a box...”
• Kunz, George F. Natal Stones; Sentiments and Superstitions Associated with Precious Stones. 20th Edition. New York: Tiffany & Co. 1909. (American Museum of Natural History
  American Museum of Natural History
  The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
  
  ’s copy signed by Dr. Kunz on October 8, 1927). This interesting little book helped sell many precious and semi-precious stones associated with birthdays. The 8th edition had 30 pages, and was printed in 1901. Through the years, the pages increased to 35, with the 23rd edition coming out in 1915.
• Kunz, George F. “Remarkable Crystal Skull.” Exchanger’s Monthly: Devoted to Mineralogy, Geology and Archaeology. Jersey City, NJ. Volume II, Number 12, October 1887, page 95. Read before the meeting of the New York meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, August 12, 1887. Mr. Kunz relates the provenance of the skull, and proposes that the rock crystal came from California and is made in a Mexican fashion.
• Kunz, George F. “Reminiscences of Dr. George Frederick Kunz as Told to Marie Benyon Bey.” Journal of the Geo-Literary Society. “American Travels of a Gem Expert.” Volume 15, number 2, pages 6-14, May 2000; “American Travels of a Gem Collector, Parts 1&2.” Volume 15, number 3, pages 10-19, August 2000; “Part III: Reminiscences of Dr. George F. Kunz- American Travels of a Gem Collector as Told to Marie Beynon Ray (From the Saturday Evening Post, January 21, 1928)” Volume 15, number 4, pages 15-24. “Indestructible Value…” Volume 16, number 3, pages 14-24, 2001. Reprint of his Saturday Evening Post series, from 1927 and 1928.
• Kunz, George F. “On Phosphorescent Diamonds [Tiffanyite].” Read before the academy on May 20, 1895. Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences. Volume 14, page 260. 1895. Also Mineralogical Magazine. Volume 11, page 241. 1897. The various colors of diamonds are attributed to the presence of hydrocarbons, and phosphorescence and fluorescence of certain diamonds are attributed to a bluish white substance, which is undoubtedly a hydrocarbon, and for which the name Tiffanyite is proposed. See also: “Tiffanyite.” Transactions of the New York Academy of Science, vol. 14.
• Kunz, George F. Rings for the Finger, from the Earliest Known Times to the Present, with Full Descriptions of the Origin, Early Making, Materials, the Archaeology, History, For Affection, For Love, For Engagement, For Wedding, Commemorative, Mourning, Etc. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company. 1917. Frontispiece is an oil painting of the Maharani of Sikkim (northeastern Hindustan
  Hindustan
  Hindustan or Indostan, literal translation "Land of River Sindhu ", is one of the popular names of South Asia. It can also mean "the land of the Hindus"...
  
  ), and illustrated with 381 pages, plates, partly colored, portraits, etc., plus a holographic facsimile letter from Admiral Peary to the author on the question of ring usage by Eskimo peoples. The Kunz Collection copy is inscribed by the author to his daughter, Bessie: “For Elizabeth Handforth Kunz, with the love of her father, the author, George Frederick Kunz, 30 January 1916. New York.” A fine copy of a work that John Sinkankas says "remains the largest single storehouse of information on rings available in any language".
• Kunz, George F. Shakespeare and Precious Stones, Treating of the Known References of Precious Stones in Shakespeare’s Works, With Comments as to the Origin of his Material, the Knowledge of the Poet Concerning Precious Stones, and References to Where the Precious Stones of His Time Came From. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott. 1916. 100 pages with illustrations, portraits, etc. “Treating of the known references to precious stones in Shakespeare’s works, with comments as to the origin of his material, the knowledge of the poet concerning precious stones, and references as to where the precious stones of his time came from. Four illustrations. Square octavo. Decorated cloth” [412] “Diamonds are discussed on pages 24-27, 73-76, 89-91 and 93. Interesting historical notes are given concerning the contemporary knowledge of gem-stones, the goldsmiths and jewelers of the period.” The Central Park Shakespeare Garden Committee Edition, containing 4 extra pages with list of Committee and Cut of Garden. The Hobby Club Mission, containing a list of Hobby Club Members.
• Kunz, George F. “The Spanish Missions in California.” Albany, NY: American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. Seventeenth Annual Report, 1912. Appendix F, pages 387-410. Includes five plates. Dr. Kunz uses the occasion of the forthcoming Panama Exposition to press for the purchase of privately owned missions, the restoration of existing ones, and the renovation of El Camino Real, the old Spanish road that connected all the California missions together.

External links

• The book of the pearl (1908) available online and in pdf downloads from the Gem and Diamond Foundation. Also available at the Internet Archive

  NOTE: Kunz worked with Mathilde Laigle to write the Book of Pearl (part : "Années de professorat aux États-Unis")

• The Curious Lore of Precious Stones (1938) at Internet Archive
• Folk-lore of Precious Stones (1894) at Internet Archive
• Gems and precious stones of North America. Overview of all locations of famous gemstones such as emeralds, sapphire, rubies to rare ones such as hiddenite(1890) available online and in pdf downloads from the Gem and Diamond Foundation. Also available at the Internet Archive
• History of Gems Found in North Carolina (1907) at Internet Archive
• Ivory and the Elephant in Art, in Archaeology, and in Science (1916) at Internet Archive
• The Magic of Jewels and Charms (1915) at Internet Archive
• Rings for the Finger, from the Earlieast Known Times to the Present... (1917) at Internet Archive also available at the Internet Archive
• Google books listing of Kunz works in the public domain: http://books.google.com/books?lr=&q=inauthor:George+inauthor:Frederick+inauthor:Kunz&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES&sa=N&start=10
• Revised bibliography of George Fredrick Kunz's works at the Gemological Institute of America: http://www.gia.edu/library/38410/bibliographies.cfm
• John H. Betts The Minerals of New York City originally published in Rocks & Minerals magazine, Volume 84, No . 3 pages 204-252 (2009).