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Details
JOSSELYN, John (active 1630-1675). New-Englands Rarities discovered: in Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Serpents, and Plants of that Country. London: G. Widdowes, 1672.
The first edition of the earliest natural history of New England; a copy with distinguished provenance. Josselyn's work is "the earliest work on the natural history and Indian remedies of New England" (Vail), much of it forming a description of herbal remedies among the Indians. The 'Description of an Indian Squa' with an accompanying poem, praising black beauty above white, occurs on pp. 99-102. The author had accompanied his father to New England in 1638; in 1663 he made a second visit, joining his brother in Maine for almost eight and a half years (see also lot 401). ESTC R20038; Howes J-255; Sabin 36674; Vail Frontier 160; Wing J-1093.
Small octavo (138 x 82mm). One woodcut plate, woodcut illustrations. With initial blank and final advertisement leaf (restoration to title, first text leaf and folding plate, some chips and short tears at sheet edges, some pale browning, closely trimmed with some headlines shaved). Modern crimson morocco gilt, all edges gilt, by Rivieré (rebacked preserving original spine). Provenance: James Gamble Rogers (1867-1947, American architect best known for his commissions at Yale and Columbia; bookplate); Leonard Woods Labaree (1897-1980, American editor and Yale historian of the Colonial Era; bookplate); Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976, renowned American historian; bookplate).
The first edition of the earliest natural history of New England; a copy with distinguished provenance. Josselyn's work is "the earliest work on the natural history and Indian remedies of New England" (Vail), much of it forming a description of herbal remedies among the Indians. The 'Description of an Indian Squa' with an accompanying poem, praising black beauty above white, occurs on pp. 99-102. The author had accompanied his father to New England in 1638; in 1663 he made a second visit, joining his brother in Maine for almost eight and a half years (see also lot 401). ESTC R20038; Howes J-255; Sabin 36674; Vail Frontier 160; Wing J-1093.
Small octavo (138 x 82mm). One woodcut plate, woodcut illustrations. With initial blank and final advertisement leaf (restoration to title, first text leaf and folding plate, some chips and short tears at sheet edges, some pale browning, closely trimmed with some headlines shaved). Modern crimson morocco gilt, all edges gilt, by Rivieré (rebacked preserving original spine). Provenance: James Gamble Rogers (1867-1947, American architect best known for his commissions at Yale and Columbia; bookplate); Leonard Woods Labaree (1897-1980, American editor and Yale historian of the Colonial Era; bookplate); Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976, renowned American historian; bookplate).
Sale room notice
Please note that the illustration for this lot appears with lot 401 in the printed catalog and e-catalog; it is correctly illustrated online.