KOBELL

kobell, wolfgang xaver franz, baron von (1803-1882), german mineralogist, was born at munich on the 19th of july 1803. he studied chemistry and mineralogy at landshut (1820-1823), and in 1826 became professor of mineralogy in the university of munich. he introduced some new methods of mineral analyses, and in 1835 invented the stauroscope for the study of the optical properties of crystals. he contributed numerous papers to scientific journals, and described many new minerals. he died at munich on the 11th of november, 1882. publications.--_charakteristik der mineralien_ (2 vols. 1830-1831); _tafeln zur bestimmung der mineralien_ &c. (1833; and later editions, ed. 12, by k. oebbeke, 1884); _grundzuge der mineralogie_ (1838); _geschichte der mineralogie von 1650-1860_ (1864).