Rare books from Milestones of Science Books

Utrecht: M. a Dreunen, & G. a Walcheren, 1685. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Folio - over 12 - 15" tall. 3 parts in one volume. Folio (314 x 195 mm), [18], 568, [6], [16], 303, [1], [2], 130, [2], [4], 70 pp., engr. title, engraved folding portrait of the author and 16 folding anatomical plates. Contemporary blind-tooled vellum with 6 raised bands, author's name and title in cript to spine. Interior bright and virtually unspotted. An excellent copy. Complete. --- Wellcome II, 467; Waller Cat. 2452. - Ysbrand van Diemerbroek (1609-1674) practised medicine in Utrecht and became Professor of Anatomy and Medicine at Leyden. Beside his comprehensive work on anatomy, he is also remembered for his studies of the plague. This collected works were edited by his son Tieman, also a physician.

Paris: H.L. Guerin & L.F. Delatour, 1746. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. Essai sur les Probabilités de la Durée de la Vie Humaine; d'où l'on déduit la maniere de déterminer les Rentes viageres, tant simples qu'en Tontines: Précédé d'une courte Explication sur les Rentes à terme, ou Annuités... Paris: Guerin Bros., 1746. Finely engraved arms in vignette at head of dedication. 22 Tables in the text. vi, [2], 132, [32], i-xxii, [1] pp. [bound with]: IDEM. Addition a l'Essai sur les Probabilités de la Durée de la Vie humaine... avec quelques Listes ou Ordres de mortalité du genre humaine. Paris: H.L. Guerin & L.F. Delatour, 1760. [5], 5-32 pp., 1 folding table. [bound with]: (-). [Drop-title]: Objections faites à M. Deparceiux... sur son Livre des Probabilités de la durée de la vie humaine; avec les… Read More

Edinburgh / London: printed for Cadell and Davies, London, and William Creech / Geological Society, 1795. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Edinburgh: printed for Cadell and Davies, London, and William Creech, 1795 (Vol. I and II); London: Geological Society, 1899 (Vol. III). Bound in three volumes, including the posthumous third part edited by Sir Archibald Geikie for the Geological Society. 4to (211 x 129 mm). viii, 620; viii, [103] 4-567 [1], xvi, 278, xiii [1] pp., including half-title in each volume and 6 folding engraved plates. Uniformily bound in fine 20th-century half calf, by Bayntun of Bath, spines ruled in gilt and with gilt-lettered morocco labels, original printed green wrappers of vol. III laid down and bound in at end (very slight fading to spines and light rubbing of extremities), brown sprinkled edges. Text and plates of first two volumes somewhat browned and foxed as usual (plate 2 in vol. II stronger), large folding plate of Mont Blanc with small defect… Read More

Amsterdam: H. en Weduwe T. Boom, 1691. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. Observationum Anatomico-Chirurgicarum Centuria Accedit Catalogus Rariorum, quae in Museo Ruyschiano asservantur..., two parts in one. Amsterdam: H. en Weduwe T. Boom, 1691, 4to. (233 x 183 mm), [16], 138, [2] pp.; [4], 3-120 pp., first title-page printed in red and black, woodcut device on both titles, 46 engr. plates (including two folding) and some woodcuts in text, ink library stamps to titles and plates, occasional fraying to edges of some plates, contemp. vellum, spine lettered in manuscript. ---- DSB XIII, pp. 40-41; Wellcome IV, p. 597; Osler 3868; Waller 8337; Krivatsy 10071; Hirsch-H. IV, 934. - First edition. The first part containing 100 anatomicial and surgical observations by Ruysch, and the second part containing the first descriptive account of his famous anatomical museum. Displayed in several rented houses in Amsterdam, the museum was a major… Read More

Berlin: Friedrich Vieweg, 1793. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 4to (267 x 210 mm). [6] pp., 444 columns, [4] pp. Fine engraved title by W. Arndt and C. Jack after Sprengel and Jack, and 25 engraved plates by J.S. Capieux, A. Wohlgemuth and J.D.H. after Sprengel. 20th-century half calf over marbled boards, spine ruled and lettered in gilt, red-dyed edges (little rubbing of extremities). Text generally quite clean and bright, faint dampstaining to first 4 leaves including title, three gatherings M-O, and a few plates; minor occasional foxing. Provenance: long inscription* in ink on first free endpaper, dated 11 September 1794. ---- Dibner 30; Sparrow 184; Nissen, BBI 1883; Stafleu-C. 12.672; DSB XII, p.588; Norman 1990. - FIRST EDITION. AN IMPORTANT WORK THAT FIRST DEFINED THE FUNCTION OF INSECTS IN PLANT POLLINATION, AND 'PROVIDED DARWIN WITH EVIDENCE FOR HIS THEORY OF EVOLUTION' (DSB XII, p.588). A student of Ernst Ludwig… Read More

Lyons: In edibus Jacobi Myt, 1521. Hardcover. Very Good. Hardcover. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. 8vo (195 x 135 mm), 2 parts in one volume, both titles with ornamental woodcut borders and the first printed in red and black, double-column text with woodcut initials, three unnumbered index leaves at end of first work (with printer's woodcut device after colophon), the second work lacking final leaf of text, supplied in old (16th century) neat facsimile manuscript, verso blank and three leaves of index, some spotting and browning, foremargins of first few leaves a little chipped with trivial loss to one side-note on a2v, modern half morocco over marbled boards, a little rubbed, faint ink stamps. --- Adams V762 - Wellcome I, 6614 (ed. 1531) - Heirs of Hipp. 154 (ed. 1525). - not in Norman or G.-M., no copy in JbdAPr u. ABPC. -Though reprinted numerous times, copies of early editions of Vigo's surgery are uncommon. Vigo's "Chirurgia" consists of nine books… Read More

Panormi [Palermo]: apud D. Cyllenium Hesperium, sumpt. Antonini Giardinae bibliopolae Panorm, 1685. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Folio - over 12 - 15" tall. Monumenta omnia mathematica, quae extant, quorumque catalogum inuersa pagina demonstrat : ex traditione ... D. Francisci Maurolici ... opus præclarissimum, non priùs typis commissum [ed. J. S. Salva]. Folio (309x213 mm). [8], 296 pp., title page printed in red and black with large woodcut device, many woodcut diagrams in text, blanks present. Bound at the end are two excerpts (complete in itself) from Archimedes' Opera quae extant (edited by David Rivault, Paris: Claude Morel, 1615), in parallel Latin and Greek text with several woodcut ills. and diagrams: (1) Planorum Aequiponderantium, seu centra gravitatum planorum, pp. 145-218; (2) De insidentibus humido libri duo..., pp. 487-549 (1:blank). Near contemporary calf (rubbed and scuffed at extremities, but binding sound and strong), gilt spine with… Read More

Florence: Amadoro Massa & Lorenzo de Landis, 1644. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 3 parts in one, 4to. (220x158 mm), [2], [2:blank], [1-2] 3-243 [1], [1-2] 3-115 (i.e. 151) [1] pp., general half-title, part I title with imprint, section titles to parts II & III, dedication to Grand Duke Ferdinand II de' Medici, part III separately signed & paginated with separate dedication to Prince Leopold de' Medici, imprimatur leaf at end, numerous small woodcut diagrams, one full-page engraving, letterpress tables, numerous mispaginations. Internally clean and unspotted, light browning (mainly marginal), contemporary vellum with old ms. mathematical notations on covers. A fine, unsophisticated copy, collated complete. ---- Honeyman VII 2991; Norman 2086; PMM 145; Riccardi II 542; Carli-Favaro 43 (204); Cinti 226 (114). - FIRST EDITION of the only work published during Torricelli's lifetime. A brilliant mathematician, Torricelli was Galileo's assistant and… Read More

Florence: Giorgio Marescotti, 1583. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 4to (220 x 154 mm). [40], 621, [11] pp. Woodcut printer's device on title and at end, woodcut initials, some historiated. Variant title page with "Duce" in 9th line. Contemporary vellum (old remboitage binding), spine hand-lettered, faded blue edges. A few leaves with faint stains or mostly marginal spotting, fore edge with small ink stain affecting a few leaves to the end, title-page with small ink corrosion hole inside signature. Provenance: Savgiano(?) (early signature in ink on title); "B.M." (manuscript note on title); "M no. 2J" (early note in ink on title); Warren H. Corning, Library of the Holden Arboretum (bookplate to front pastedown). Very good copy, collated complete. ---- Dibner 20; PMM 97; Sparrow 34; Norman 432; Pritzel 1640; Adams C-20; BM/STC Italian p. 134; Cleveland Collections 122, Holden Arboretum Copy 2 (this copy). - THE VERY RARE FIRST EDITION OF "THE FIRST TRUE TEXTBOOK OF… Read More

London: Printed for C. Ward and R. Chandler, Booksellers; and J. Wood, and C. Woodward, 1741. 2nd Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 2nd Edition. Hardcover. 12mo - over 6¾ - 7¾" tall. Two volumes. 12mo (161 x 95 mm). [4], 284; [4], 291 [1] pp., including engraved frontispiece of Cervantes in volume I, publisher's advert leaf before title in vol. II, woodcut ornaments and capitals. Contemporary full calf, spine with 5 raised bands, ruled and lettered in gilt (leather somewhat dry, hinges partially cracked but cords holding firm, boards and extremities rubbed, corners bumped and worn, spine leather cracky). Provenance: Richard Corbet and Henry Corbet (bookplates to front pastedowns). Text with light age-toning and occasional very minor spotting, otherwise quite clean and fresh. Vol. I with single short wormhole to blank margin of first and final leaves. All in all a fine untouched copy printed on strong paper. ---- Palau 53935. SECOND ENGLISH EDITION of Cervantes romance and as… Read More

Stockholm: Godofr. Kiesewetter, 1751. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 8vo (201 x 121 mm). [6], 362 pp. Engraved frontispiece portrait of the author engraved by I. M. Bernigeroth, 9 engraved plates, and 2 woodcuts in text. Contemporary half calf with gilt lettering piece to spine (boards and extremities rubbed). Internally little browned throughout, endpapers, title and preliminaries brown-burned in outer corners from tanned leather turn-ins, otherwise a fine, virtually unspotted and unmarked copy. Rare with the engraved frontispiece portrait. ---- Sparrow; Milestones of Science 135; Soulsby 437; Hulth 72; D.S.B. VIII, p.376. First edition. "Continuing his study on the classification of plants, Linnaeus published Philosophica botanica in 1751. In this he attempted to organize a natural system based on structure, but this work was never completed" (Sparrow). "In 1751 he published Philosophies botanica, his most influential work but actually only an… Read More

Cambridge: Thomas Buck, 1652. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 4to (179 x 137 mm). [10], 239 [1] pp. Includes folding table, but without the initial blank. Bound in later half calf over marbled boards, blind-stamped and gilt-lettered spine (repair to spine, hinges and corners). Text little browned throughout, light dampstaining to preliminary leaves and title and faint to several signatures near the end, occasional minor spotting, top margin trimmed closed but not affecting headlines, old repaired tear at fold of table. Provenance: F. B. Lorch (leather bookplate); Henry & Carol Faul (bookplate). Still a very good and unmarked copy. ---- Wing N1145; Hoover 610; Wheeler-Gift 136 (cites 15 leaves of prelims, in error). - FIRST EDITION of the first book written in English on gemstones and important also from the perspective of the development of geological science. "Nicols follows De Boodt closely and quotes him frequently. He… Read More

Paris: Chereau et Joubert, 1741. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Large Folio. Large folio (513 x 330 mm). Engraved title, two leaves of engraved explanatory text, and 14 engraved plates of anatomical illustrations by Huquier after Bouchardon, numbered 2 to 15. Contemporary blue papercard boards (rubbed, extremities worn, spine and joints chipped). Internally little browned only, light marginal soiling, occasional minor spotting, few leaves with faint dampstain to upper corner. Provenance: Dr. Maurice Villaret (bookplate to front pastedown). Very good copy. ---- Choulant-Frank, p.275; Waller 1346. FIRST EDITION, VERY RARE. Edme Bouchardon (1698-1762) was a French artist and sculptor to King Louis XV. Entrusted with royal commissions, he created some of the most iconic images of his time. His works were praised and sought after by distinguished art collectors of his time throughout Europe. In 2017, the J. Paul Getty Museum in collaboration with the Musée de Louvre… Read More

London: Harrison, 1860. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. [1860]. 8vo (218 x 140 mm). [1-5] 6-79 [1] pp. Original dark-brown pebbled cloth, title in gilt on front cover, blind-ruling to covers, endpapers with publisher's adverts (spine mostly gone, cloth rubbed and spotted, some minor wear to corners). Text with minor even browning, slight dust-soiling mostly to outer margins of pastedowns. Provenance: from a private Durch collection. ---- VERY RARE FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, without the notice "[The right of translation is reserved]" on the title-page and the textual errors uncorrected, but with the publisher's printed adverts and not the plain yellow endpapers. "The earliest known copy of the Notes is in the Nurses' Home at St. Thomas's Hospital and bears the inscription in Florence Nightingale's hand: 'For my dear Beatrice from her loving F.N. New Year's Day 1860. This copy does NOT carry '[The right of translation is reserved]' on the title… Read More

Amsterdam: Querido, 1934. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. 8vo (200 x 133 mm). 269 [1] pp. Original publisher's black cloth stamped in gilt on front cover and in blind on spine, printed dust-jacket (dust jacket clightly chipped at head of spine and upper corners). Pages uncut. Text crisp and bright throughout. A near fine copy. ---- FIRST EDITION, WITH THE RARE DUST-JACKET. Written during the early years of the Nazi regime, Einstein's "Mein Weltbild" (View of the World) contains thoughts, aphorisms and observations; from various periods of his Life, concerned with politics, pacifism, the Jewish question, and the role of science. His early impressions of the US are particularly interesting. References: Weil (appendix), p.41; Sternfeld-Tiedemann p.115; Exilarchiv 1203. - Visit our website to see more images!