Paul E. Desautels

Paul E. Desautels was an American mineralogist and museum curator who worked at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. Smithsonian records describe him as Associate Curator and Curator in the Division of Mineral Sciences from 1963 to 1983, and as curator of the Department of Gems and Minerals.

He also wrote accessible books for general readers, including The Mineral Kingdom, first published in 1968, as well as works such as The Gem Kingdom, The Gem Collection, and Rocks & Minerals. His writing helped turn mineralogy into something inviting and memorable for readers who may have been encountering the subject for the first time.

Desautels is also remembered in the mineral-collecting community for his connection to micromounting. A Baltimore Mineral Society memorial notes that he founded the society in 1951 and later organized the Baltimore Micromount Symposia, showing how strongly he influenced both museum audiences and dedicated collectors.