8 p.l., 361, [23] pp. Small 8vo, cont. flexible vellum, ties gone. Paris: Martin le Jeune, 1580. First edition, and a splendid pure copy in its... More

8 p.l., 361, [23] pp. Small 8vo, cont. flexible vellum, ties gone. Paris: Martin le Jeune, 1580. First edition, and a splendid pure copy in its first binding, of a rare and important book in the history of chemistry, hydrology, geology, agriculture, etc., etc. Palissy (ca. 1509-89), who is best known for his discovery of the secret of enamelling pottery, was far in advance of his time in scientific ideas. The "Discours admirables, probably incorporates Palissy's Paris lectures. It...deals with an impressive array of subjects: agriculture, alchemy, botany, ceramics, embalming, engineering, geology, hydrology, medicine, metallurgy, meteorology, mineralogy, paleontology, philosophy, physics, toxicology, and zoology. The book is divided into several chapters, the first and longest of which is concerned with water. The others take up metals and their nature and generation; drugs; ice; different types of salts and their nature, effects, and methods of generation; characteristics of common and precious stones; clay and marl; and the potter's art... "Palissy's views on hydrology and paleontology, as expressed in the Discours, are of particular interest. He was one of the few men of his century to have a correct notion of the origins of rivers and streams, and he stated it forcefully, denying categorically that rivers can have any source other than rainfall... "Palissy discussed fossils extensively...[He] held other advanced views. From experimentation he concluded that all minerals with geometric crystal forms must have crystallized in water; his classification of salts was nearly correct; and he suggested the concept of superposition for the development of sedimentary rocks... "Palissy was probably one of the first men in France to teach natural sciences from facts, specimens and demonstrations rather than hypotheses."-D.S.B., X, pp. 280-81. In the eighth section, Palissy investigated the hardness and properties of gems and precious stones. The Discours was written in the form of a dialogue between "Theory" and "Practice" and it is always "Practice" that instructs "Theory." A fine copy in its first binding, preserved in a box. Contemporary signature on title of "G. Passart" (maybe) and with a number of knowledgeable contemporary notes in many margins. This book is extremely rare; Ferguson acquired his copy, now in the University of Glasgow, after years of searching and has written on the flyleaf: "At last, after long, long waiting and watching." It is one of the very few books in Denis Duveen's collection of which he reproduced the title-page in his Bibliotheca Alchemica et Chemica. ❧ Adams, The Birth and Development of the Geological Sciences, pp. 90, 261, & 446-48. Brunet, IV, 319-20 & Suppl., II, 133-"une pi? aussi int?ssante que rare." Duveen, p. 446-"A book of great importance in the history of chemistry and science generally." Geikie, The Founders of Geology, pp. 104 & 118. Hoover 621. Partington, II, pp. 69-77. Zittel, pp. 18 & 132. . Less

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London: Printed and sold by R. Sayer and J. Bennett, 1778.. Twenty-three engraved maps on thirty sheets, handcolored in outline. Folio, 21 3/4 x 15... More

London: Printed and sold by R. Sayer and J. Bennett, 1778.. Twenty-three engraved maps on thirty sheets, handcolored in outline. Folio, 21 3/4 x 15 1/2. Expertly bound to style in 18th-century half russia over original marbled paper boards, spine gilt in seven compartments with raised bands, red morocco lettering piece. In a black morocco backed box, lettered in gilt. Provenance: Henry Tomkinson (armorial bookplate). In a half morocco box. The very rare 1778 issue of THE AMERICAN ATLAS, the most important 18th-century atlas for America, and an irreplaceable snapshot of the land as it was during the birth of the United States. Walter Ristow characterizes it as a "geographical description of the whole continent of America, as portrayed in the best available maps in the latter half of the eighteenth century...as a major cartographic reference work it was, very likely, consulted by American, English, and French civilian administrators and military officers during the Revolution." As a collection, THE AMERICAN ATLAS stands as the most comprehensive, detailed, and accurate survey of the American colonies at the beginning of the Revolution. Many of the elements that make up THE AMERICAN ATLAS came into being as a result of the British need to understand the geographic and social layout of their colonies after their victory in the French and Indian War of 1756-63. The maps that resulted from the numerous surveys proved to be by far the best contemporary records of the region. Among these distinguished maps are Braddock Meade's "A Map of the Most Inhabited Parts of New England," the largest and most detailed map of New England that had yet been published; a map of "The Provinces of New York and New Jersey" by Samuel Holland, the surveyor general for the northern American colonies; William Scull's "A Map of Pennsylvania," the first map of that colony to include its western frontier; Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson's "A Map of the Most Inhabited part of Virginia," the best colonial map for the Chesapeake region; and Lieut. Ross' "Course of the Mississipi," the first map of that river based on British sources. Jefferys was the leading British cartographer of the 18th century. From about 1750 he published a series of maps of the British American colonies. As geographer to the Prince of Wales, and after 1761, geographer to the King, Jefferys was well placed to have access to the best surveys conducted in America, and many of his maps held the status of "official work." Jefferys died on Nov. 20, 1771, and in 1775 his successors, Robert Sayer and John Bennett, gathered these separately issued maps together and republished them in book form as THE AMERICAN ATLAS. The first edition with only twenty-two maps on twenty- nine sheets appeared in 1775, and there were subsequent editions in 1776 and 1778. The maps are as follow (many of the maps are on several sheets, and in the Index each individual sheet is numbered; the measurements refer to the image size): 1-3) Braddock Meade (alias John Green): "A Chart of North and South America, including the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Published 10 June 1775." Six sheets joined into three, 43 1/2 x 49 1/2 inches. This great wall map of the Western Hemisphere was chiefly issued to expose the errors in Delisle and Buache's map of the Pacific Northwest, published in Paris in 1752. STEVENS & TREE 4(d). 4) Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg: "The Russian Discoveries. Published March 2nd 1775." One sheet, 18 x 24 1/8 inches. The first official mapping results of the explorations of Bering and Chirikof in Siberia and the Pacific Northwest were issued by the Russian Imperial Academy in 1758. These corrected the earlier incorrect maps including the mythical discoveries of Admiral Fonte. This is a British version of that map. 5-6) Thomas Pownall after E. Bowen: "A New and Correct Map of North America, with the West India Islands. Published 15 February 1777." Four sheets joined into two, 45 1/4 inches. Thomas Pownall updated Bowen's North America map of 1755. Pownall's version included the results of the first Treaty of Paris drawn up after the end of the French and Indian War. STEVENS & TREE 49(f). 7) Thomas Jefferys: "North America from the French of Mr. D'Anville, Improved with the English Surveys Made since the Peace. Published 10 June 1775." One sheet, 18 x 20 inches. STEVENS & TREE 51(c). 8) Samuel Dunn: "A Map of the British Empire in North America. Published 17 August 1776." Half sheet, 18 3/4 x 12 inches. STEVENS & TREE 53(b). 9) Thomas Jefferys: "An Exact Chart of the River St. Laurence from Fort Frontenac to the Island of Anticosti...Published 25 May 1775." Two sheets joined into one, 23 1/2 x 37 inches. STEVENS & TREE 76(d). 10) Sayer & Bennett: "A Chart of the Gulf of St. Laurence...Published 25th March 1775." One sheet, 19 1/2 x 24 inches. 11) "A Map of the Island of St. John in the Gulf of St. Laurence...Published 6 April 1775." One sheet, 15 x 27 1/4 inches. 12) James Cook and Michael Lane: "A General Chart of the Island of Newfoundland...Published 10th May 1775." One sheet, 21 1/2 x 22 inches. James Cook went on to gain renown for his Pacific exploration. 13) "A Chart of the Banks of Newfoundland...Published 25 March 1775." One sheet, 19 1/2 x 26 inches. Based on the surveys of James Cook (see above), Chabert, and Fleurieu. 14) Thomas Jefferys: "A New Map of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island with the Adjacent Parts of New England and Canada...Published 15 June 1775." One sheet, 18 1/2 x 24 inches. Originally published in 1755, at the beginning of the French and Indian War, this map "proved to be important in evaluating respective French and British claims to this part of North America" (Ristow). England gained sole possession of the region by the Treaty of Paris, 1763. STEVENS & TREE 66(c). 15-16) Braddock Meade (alias John Green): "A Map of the Most Inhabited Part of New England. Published November 29, 1774." Four sheets joined into two, 38 3/4 x 40 3/4 inches. The first large-scale map of New England. "The most detailed and informative pre-Revolutionary map of New England...not really supplanted until the nineteenth century" (NEW ENGLAND PROSPECT 13). STEVENS & TREE 33(e). 17) Capt. [Samuel] Holland: "The Provinces of New York and New Jersey, with Part of Pensilvania...Published 17 Aug. 1776." Three insets: "A plan of the City of New York," "A chart of the Mouth of Hudson's River," and "A Plan of Amboy." Two sheets joined, 26 1/2 x 52 3/4 inches. An important large-scale map of the Provinces of New York and New Jersey, by Samuel Holland, surveyor general for the Northern English colonies. With fine insets including a street plan of colonial New York City. STEVENS & TREE 44(d). 18) William Brassier: "A Survey of Lake Champlain, including Lake George, Crown Point and St. John. 5 August 1776." Single sheet, 26 3/4 x 18 3/4 inches. Second state including naval activity on the lake up until Oct. 13, 1776. STEVENS & TREE 25(b). 19) "A New Map of the Province of Quebec, according to the Royal Proclamation, of the 7th of October 1763. From the French Surveys Connected with those made after the War, by Captain Carver, and Other Officers. 16 February 1776." One sheet, 19 1/4 x 26 1/4 inches. STEVENS & TREE 73(a). 20) William Scull: "A Map of Pennsylvania Exhibiting not only the Improved Parts of the Province but also its Extensive Frontiers. Published 10 June 1775." Two sheets joined, 27 x 51 1/2 inches. The first map of the Province of Pennsylvania to include its western frontier. All earlier maps had focused solely on the settled eastern parts of the colony. 21-22) Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson: "A Map of the Most Inhabited Part of Virginia, containing the Whole Province of Maryland...1775." [nd]. Four sheets joined into two, 32 x 48 inches. "The basic cartographical document of Virginia in the eighteenth century...the first to depict accurately the interior regions of Virginia beyond the Tidewater. [It] dominated the cartographical representation of Virginia until the nineteenth century" - Verner. STEVENS & TREE 87(f). 23-24) Henry Mouzon: "An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina with their Indian Frontiers. Published May 30, 1775." Four sheets joined into two, 40 x 54 inches. "The chief type map for [the Carolinas] during the forty or fifty years following its publication. It was used by both British and American forces during the Revolutionary War" - Cumming. STEVENS & TREE 11(a). CUMMING 450. 25) Thomas Jefferys: "The Coast of West Florida and Louisiana...The Peninsula and Gulf of Florida. Published 20 Feby. 1775." Two sheets joined into one, 19 1/2 x 48 inches. Stevens & Tree 26(b). A large-scale map of Florida, based upon the extensive surveys conducted since the region became a British possession by the Treaty of Paris, 1763. 26) Lieut. Ross: "Course of the Mississipi...Taken on an Expedition to the Illinois, in the latter end of the Year 1765. Published 1 June 1775." Two sheets joined into one, 14 x 44 inches. The first large- scale map of the Mississippi River, and the first based in whole or part upon British surveys. STEVENS & TREE 31(b). 27) Thomas Jefferys: "The Bay of Honduras. Published 20 February 1775." One sheet, 18 1/2 x 24 1/2 inches. 28-29) J.B.B. D'Anville: "A Map of South America...Published 20 September 1775." Four sheets joined into two, 20 x 46 inches. 30) Juan de la Cruz Cano y Olmedilla and others: "A Chart of the Straits of Magellan. Published 1 July 1775." One sheet, 20 1/2 x 27 inches. HOWES J81, "b." PHILLIPS ATLASES 1165, 1166. SABIN 35953. STREETER SALE 72 (1775 ed). Walter Ristow (editor), THOMAS JEFFERYS The American Atlas LONDON 1776, facsimile edition (Amsterdam 1974). Less

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Florence: Demetrius Damilas [in the shop of the Printer of Vergilius (C 6061)] for Bernardo and Nero De' Nerli and Giovanni Acciaiuoli, 9 December... More

Florence: Demetrius Damilas [in the shop of the Printer of Vergilius (C 6061)] for Bernardo and Nero De' Nerli and Giovanni Acciaiuoli, 9 December 1488 [not before 13 January , 1488/89]. 2 volumes, Median folio (332 ?238 mm). Lately rebound to style using 18th-century brown morocco, spine decorated in blind with urn and lyre devices etc in compartments between five raised bands, sides panelled in blind with matching tools and floral devices within a latticework central panel, based on a Florentine binding executed in 1504 (illustrated in Tammaro de Marinis, La Legatura Artistica, Florence 1960). 439 leaves (of 440, lacking final blank), 39 lines, Greek letter, 2- and 10-line initial spaces. Ex-libris University of Lyon, with stamp Acad. Lugd. and release stamp dated 1843 on the first leaf; later in the libraries of Constantine Radoulesco and H. Bradley Martin (Sotheby's New York, 14 June 1990, lot 3355). Unrubricated, occasional marginalia in an attractive contemporary cursive hand; a good clean copy. Editio princeps of the writings attributed to Homer, including the Iliad and the Odyssey, two of the earliest, most important and influential works of European literature. "The Iliad and the Odyssey are the first perfect poetry of the western world. They spring fully grown, their predecessors lost, and the magic has persisted ever since. The legends of the siege of Troy and the return of Odysseus are the common heritage of all … The form, the action and the words have had incalculable influence on the form, action and words of poetry ever since; the composition of the Aeneid, the Divine Comedy, Paradise Lost, and many others, has been determined by the Iliad and the Odyssey. Their popularity never diminishes" (PMM). The editor Demetrius Chalcondylas was professor of Greek at the Florentine Studio from 1475 until 1491. The type is that of Demetrius Damilas, a scribe who had previously been active in the printing of Greek books in Milan since 1476. It was based on the handwriting of Michael Apostolis, which was simpler and more distinct than Damilas's own elegant but elaborate hand. This monumental printing is the first large-scale printing in Greek, and also probably the first Greek book printed in Florence. (The rare Erotemata by Emanuel Chrysoloras, which survives in only two copies, was printed in Florence either in 1475 or c. 1488-94.) The text of Homer was not printed again in Greek until Aldus's octavo edition of 1504, which was based directly on Chalcondylas's text. The Batrachomyomachia ("Battle of the Frogs and Mice"), a pseudo-Homeric text, which is also included here with the Iliad, Odyssey and Homeric Hymns, had been earlier printed in an unsigned Greek-Latin edition printed perhaps at Brescia or Ferrara, which is known only from the unique copy in the John Rylands University Library, Manchester. Despite the lengthy and circumstantial colophon, bibliographers have had trouble in agreeing on the correct imprint and date. Robert Proctor (The Printing of Greek in the Fifteenth Century, 1900, p. 66 sqq.) argued that the edition was actually printed in the shop of Bartolommeo di Libri, whose type was used to print the dedication to Piero de' Medici on the first page. BMC assigned the edition rather to the Nerli brothers, but Roberto Ridolfi (La stampa a Firenze nel secolo XV, 1958, p. 95 sqq.) has pointed out that the Nerli were well-born and wealthy Florentines whose role would have been a purely financial one. He has instead assigned the Homer to the anonymous Florentine shop, the Printer of Virgil (Copinger 6061, Goff V183), which flourished from 1488 to 1490 or so. Ridolfi supposes that only the first, dedication page was printed in di Libri's shop, more than a month after the completion of the edition proper, this page hitherto having been planned as a blank. Less

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