Numerous woodcut illus. in the text. 24; 27; 23 folding leaves. Three vols. 8vo, orig. patterned wrappers (cover of Vol. II a little stained), orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers, new stitching. Osaka, Kyoto, & Edo: Prefaces & Afterword dated 1802.

[with]:

—. Nokaeki kohen [Sequel to For the Farmer’s Benefit]. Numerous woodcut illus. in the text. 30; 35 folding leaves. Two vols. 8vo, orig. patterned wrappers (bindings a little soiled), orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers, new stitching. Osaka, Kyoto, & Edo: Prefaces dated 1810 & Afterword dated 1802.

[with]:

—. Nokaeki zokuhen [A Second Sequel to For the... More

Finely engraved title-page, one folding engraved map, & numerous large & fine engraved head- & tail-pieces. xx, 464, [34] pp. Folio, cont. marbled sheep (lower cover a little abraded), spine richly & brightly gilt, orange morocco lettering piece on spine. Vienna: M. A. Schmidt, 1780.

First edition, and a really fine copy, of this beautifully decorated and attractive book. This work contains a detailed account and history, district by district, of the mines of Bohemia, an area of great mineral wealth including coal, lignite, iron, and the raw materials for porcelain. Peithner provides much information on the earlier and contemporary... More

34 pp. 8vo, attractive antique calf-backed marbled boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Dublin: W. Porter, 1809.

First edition and quite rare. Richardson (1740-1820), political activist and geologist, devoted his final years to agricultural research. He “experimented with sixteen grasses, as described in An Elementary Treatise on the Indigenous Grasses of Ireland (1806). From 1808 he was a zealous advocate of fiorin grass (Gaelic fioreann) (Agrostis stolonifera L) as food for animals, a preventive of famine, and a means of abating the poor laws. He believed it to be the most nutritious of grasses, with the advantages... More

Six finely engraved plates, three of which are aquatints & four are skillfully hand-colored. 90 pp. Folio, cont. marbled boards (minor foxing). Berlin: J.F. Unger, 1804.

First edition of this beautifully illustrated work; it is quite rare, and WorldCat locates no copy in North America. This is an account of the notable caves and other important geological features of the area around Muggendorf near Erlangen in Bavaria. Rosenmüller (1771-1820), was professor of anatomy and surgery at the University of Leipzig and a gifted artist of fine anatomical illustrations for his medical works and geological drawings for the present work.

While... More

1 p.l., 20 pp. Small 4to, attractive half-calf & marbled boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine, several lower edges uncut. London: S. & B. G[riffin] for N. Brooke, 1671.

First edition and a nice copy. This work has been attributed by many to Sir John Pettus (ca. 1613-85), natural philosopher and politician, but this is probably erroneous. Sainfoin is a highly nutritious plant, which served as an important forage for livestock.

“A most interesting little book…whoever wrote it knew what he was talking about, and had evidently made himself thoroughly acquainted with the peculiarities and value of... More

x, 557, [1] pp. 8vo, cont. green sheep-backed green boards maroquiné, single gilt fillet round sides, flat spine gilt. Sion: A. Advocat, 1812.

First edition of this uncommon account of the mountainous canton of Valais (then known as the “département du Simplon”) in Switzerland. Schiner, a physician on the medical faculty at Montpellier, describes the geography, natural history, most notable buildings, costumes, cuisines and wines, commercial activities, roads, climate, structure of government, the mountains and glaciers, forests, etc., etc. The author also discusses the prevalence of goiter amongst the population, along with other diseases common to the canton.

Fine copy... More

12 vols. in 11. Many with engraved plates. Large 4to, each self-bound with cont. paste-paper spines, uncut. N.p. (but Munich & Bonn): 1808-23.

A fine collection of offprints, mostly on botanical subjects, by the Jesuit priest Schrank (1747-1835). Before being appointed professor of botany at the University of Münich (he was the first director of the University’s botanical garden), Schrank was professor of mining, agriculture, forestry, botany, and zoology at the University of Ingolstadt. Acting several times as rector during the years of his professorship at Ingolstadt and Landshut, he defended the interests of the universities during the French and... More

8 p.l., 452, [16] pp. 8vo, orig. semi-stiff blue wrappers, uncut. Erlangen: J.C. Schubart, 1803.

First edition. This uncommon textbook is Schrank’s introduction to plant physiology and botanical anatomy.

Fine copy from the Wittelsbach library of the dukes and kings of Bavaria. With a one-page A.L.s dated 24 May 1803 from Schrank presenting this copy to the Duke of Bavaria.

❧ Pritzel 8390. Stafleu & Cowan 11116. More

Three folding engraved plates. 1 p.l., 94 pp. 8vo, orig. grey boards, red leather lettering piece on spine. Ingolstadt: J.J. Gebauer, 1794.

First edition. In this work, Schrank attributes to the hairs of plants the function of absorbing moisture.

Fine copy from the Wittelsbach library of the dukes and kings of Bavaria.

❧ Stafleu & Cowan 11112. More

Engraved & hand-colored frontis. 38 pp. Small 4to, attractive antique half-sheep & marbled boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Hamburg: J.P.C. Reuss, [1780].

First edition; WorldCat locates no copy in North America. This is an early scientific investigation of chiastolite (or lapis crucifer or lapis cruciatur, cross-stone), a variety of the mineral andalusite, noted for its distinctive cross-shaped black inclusions of graphite. It has long been prized by Christians as a natural talisman with religious and spiritual meanings and was carried as souvenirs by pilgrims returning from Santiago de Compostela.

Schultz (1740-1810), was a private scholar who... More

Finely engraved architectural title-page by Mallery with Henri IV seated on his throne in a garden, eight fine woodcut vignettes, fine woodcut initials, and 13 large woodcuts in Chapters XIII & XIV. 9 p.l., 3-1004, [20] pp. Folio, 18th cent. mottled calf (minor scuffing to binding extremities), spine gilt, contrasting lettering piece on spine. Paris: J. Metayer, 1600.

First edition of the first great French work on agronomy — in its widest sense — to be published. In this book, Serres devotes substantial sections to hunting, cookery, practical medicine, irrigation, forestry, viticulture, vegetable gardening, medicinal plants, fruit trees, silk cultivation... More

Finely engraved title-page (a trifle shaved at outer edge) & 675 woodcuts in the text. 11 p.l. (incl. engr. title), 1187 (i.e., 1185), [87] pp. Folio, cont. Dutch vellum over boards (upper joint with small split of 7 cm. at foot, minor pale dampstaining to first 20 leaves & last third of book), panelled in blind, central arabesque in blind to each cover, ties gone. Amsterdam: H. Laurentius, 1644.

First edition to be edited by Joannes Bodaeus à Stapel; it “is one of the best and most thoughtfully prepared of all the editions of Theophrastos.”–Hunt 240.

H.H. Bartlett wrote in... More