![COITER, Volcher (1534-1576). Externarum et internarum principalium humani corporis partium tabulae. Nuremberg: Dietrich Gerlach, 1573. 2o (373 x 249 mm). Collation: A4 AA-BB4 CC6 DD-QQ4 RR6. 76 leaves, paginated, final leaf blank. 9 engraved plates on 7 sheets (3 double-page, signed by Coiter in the plate "V.C.D." ["Volcher Coiter delineavit"]). (Some marginal foxing and light damptstaining, a few marginal tears.) Provenance: Gift of the printer's heirs (contemporary inscription on title-page: "Ex dono haeredum typographi"); Engravings copiously annotated in a late-16th or early 17th-century hand; some other early marginalia in text. FIRST EDITION, second issue, with the imprint on title dated 1573. This compendium of ten works by Coiter, a student of Falloppio, Eustachi and Aldrovandi, includes De auditus instrumento, the first monograph on the ear. Adams C-2321; Garrison-Morton 1539; Herrlinger pp. 127-29; Nissen ZBI 920; Norman 496](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/1998/NYP/1998_NYP_08854_0069_000(104747).jpg?w=1)
Details
COITER, Volcher (1534-1576). Externarum et internarum principalium humani corporis partium tabulae. Nuremberg: Dietrich Gerlach, 1573. 2o (373 x 249 mm). Collation: A4 AA-BB4 CC6 DD-QQ4 RR6. 76 leaves, paginated, final leaf blank. 9 engraved plates on 7 sheets (3 double-page, signed by Coiter in the plate "V.C.D." ["Volcher Coiter delineavit"]). (Some marginal foxing and light damptstaining, a few marginal tears.) Provenance: Gift of the printer's heirs (contemporary inscription on title-page: "Ex dono haeredum typographi"); Engravings copiously annotated in a late-16th or early 17th-century hand; some other early marginalia in text. FIRST EDITION, second issue, with the imprint on title dated 1573. This compendium of ten works by Coiter, a student of Falloppio, Eustachi and Aldrovandi, includes De auditus instrumento, the first monograph on the ear. Adams C-2321; Garrison-Morton 1539; Herrlinger pp. 127-29; Nissen ZBI 920; Norman 496.
[Bound with:]
FALLOPPIO, Gabriele (ca. 1523-1562). Lectiones de partibus similaribus humani corporis. Edited by Volcher Coiter. Nuremberg: Dietrich Gerlach, 1575. 2o (373 x 245 mm). Collation: A-G4 H4(H2 + folding plate, signed H3) I6 (I6 blank). 38 leaves, unfoliated. 4 double-page engraved plates after Coiter, signed in the plates "V.C.D." (Some minor browning and spotting, some marginal dampstains at end.) FIRST EDITION, contains two treatises by Coiter, including De avium sceletis et praecipius musculis, an important work on avian anatomy, which is accompanied by a fine set of engravings mostly drawn (and etched) by Coiter himself. "Coiter's illustrations ... are far superior in quality to the zoological illustrations of Aldrovandi, and they occupy a prominent position in the history of zoology and comparative anatomy" (Herrlinger). Adams C-2322; Garrison-Morton 284; Herrlinger pp. 127-29; Nissen ZBI 921; Norman 497.
[Bound after:]
ZWINGER, Theodor, the elder (1533-1588). In artem medicinalem Galeni, Tabulae & Commentarii. Basel: Jacobus Parcus, for Johannes Oporinus, 1561. 2o (372 x 247 mm). (Title-page patched and with closed tear repaired crossing imprint, occasional foxing, some margins dampstained at extremes.) Provenance: owner's signature removed from title-page; some early marginalia. FIRST EDITION of Zwinger's commentary based on Niccol Leoniceno's Latin translation of Galen's Ars medica. Adams Z-209; BM/STC German p. 329; Norman 2283.
[Bound with:]
ZWINGER, Theodor. In Galeni librum de constitutione artis Medicae, Tabulae & Commentarii. Basel: Johannes Oporinus, 1561. 2o (373 x 250 mm). (Some light marginal foxing.) FIRST EDITION of Zwinger's commentary on Galen's De constitutione artis medicae, in the Latin translation by Victor Trincavelli. Adams Z-210; Norman 2284.
Binding: Contemporary German half pigskin and reused vellum manuscript over pasteboard, evidence of two pairs of ties (vellum darkened, some wear, one pigskin corner replaced); quarter morocco folding case.
Provenance: Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (his signature dated 1799 on title-page verso of Coiter, possibly removed from title-page of Zwinger's In artem medicinalem tabulae, and scattered marginalia possibly in his hand); E.F.G. Herbst; by descent to Robert M. Herbst.
A FINE ASSOCIATION COPY OF COITER'S IMPORTANT WORK ON COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. Blumenbach (1752-1840), the father of modern anthropology, was greatly influenced by Coiter and his works on comparative anatomy and embryology. Coiter was the first scientist to elevate comparative anatomy to the rank of an independent branch of biology, and this work contains treatises which would influence Blumenbach over two centuries later. It includes Coiter's epochal investigation of the development of the chick in ovo, entitled "De ovorum gallinaceorum generationis primo exordio progressuque," and was the first published study of chick embryo development based upon direct observation since the three-period description given by Aristotle. In 1781, Blumenbach published his Ueber den Bildungstrieb und das Zeugungsgeschft, in which he rejected the "preformation" theory and advanced the theory of epigenesis as the true explanation of the phenomenon of embryological development.
[Bound with:]
FALLOPPIO, Gabriele (ca. 1523-1562). Lectiones de partibus similaribus humani corporis. Edited by Volcher Coiter. Nuremberg: Dietrich Gerlach, 1575. 2o (373 x 245 mm). Collation: A-G4 H4(H2 + folding plate, signed H3) I6 (I6 blank). 38 leaves, unfoliated. 4 double-page engraved plates after Coiter, signed in the plates "V.C.D." (Some minor browning and spotting, some marginal dampstains at end.) FIRST EDITION, contains two treatises by Coiter, including De avium sceletis et praecipius musculis, an important work on avian anatomy, which is accompanied by a fine set of engravings mostly drawn (and etched) by Coiter himself. "Coiter's illustrations ... are far superior in quality to the zoological illustrations of Aldrovandi, and they occupy a prominent position in the history of zoology and comparative anatomy" (Herrlinger). Adams C-2322; Garrison-Morton 284; Herrlinger pp. 127-29; Nissen ZBI 921; Norman 497.
[Bound after:]
ZWINGER, Theodor, the elder (1533-1588). In artem medicinalem Galeni, Tabulae & Commentarii. Basel: Jacobus Parcus, for Johannes Oporinus, 1561. 2o (372 x 247 mm). (Title-page patched and with closed tear repaired crossing imprint, occasional foxing, some margins dampstained at extremes.) Provenance: owner's signature removed from title-page; some early marginalia. FIRST EDITION of Zwinger's commentary based on Niccol Leoniceno's Latin translation of Galen's Ars medica. Adams Z-209; BM/STC German p. 329; Norman 2283.
[Bound with:]
ZWINGER, Theodor. In Galeni librum de constitutione artis Medicae, Tabulae & Commentarii. Basel: Johannes Oporinus, 1561. 2o (373 x 250 mm). (Some light marginal foxing.) FIRST EDITION of Zwinger's commentary on Galen's De constitutione artis medicae, in the Latin translation by Victor Trincavelli. Adams Z-210; Norman 2284.
Binding: Contemporary German half pigskin and reused vellum manuscript over pasteboard, evidence of two pairs of ties (vellum darkened, some wear, one pigskin corner replaced); quarter morocco folding case.
Provenance: Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (his signature dated 1799 on title-page verso of Coiter, possibly removed from title-page of Zwinger's In artem medicinalem tabulae, and scattered marginalia possibly in his hand); E.F.G. Herbst; by descent to Robert M. Herbst.
A FINE ASSOCIATION COPY OF COITER'S IMPORTANT WORK ON COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. Blumenbach (1752-1840), the father of modern anthropology, was greatly influenced by Coiter and his works on comparative anatomy and embryology. Coiter was the first scientist to elevate comparative anatomy to the rank of an independent branch of biology, and this work contains treatises which would influence Blumenbach over two centuries later. It includes Coiter's epochal investigation of the development of the chick in ovo, entitled "De ovorum gallinaceorum generationis primo exordio progressuque," and was the first published study of chick embryo development based upon direct observation since the three-period description given by Aristotle. In 1781, Blumenbach published his Ueber den Bildungstrieb und das Zeugungsgeschft, in which he rejected the "preformation" theory and advanced the theory of epigenesis as the true explanation of the phenomenon of embryological development.