The Property of
A GENTLEMAN
AGRICOLA, GEORGIUS. De re metallica Libri XII. Basel (H. Froben and N. Bischoff) 1556.
Details
AGRICOLA, GEORGIUS. De re metallica Libri XII. Basel (H. Froben and N. Bischoff) 1556.
Folio, 330 x 222mm. (13 x 8 3/4in.), eighteenth-century French calf, spine gilt, repairs to joints at top, to bottom compartments of spine and to corners, some slight worming to lower blank foremargins and a few stains, slight renewal to upper blank corners of first eight leaves, lacks blank leaf 6, woodcut cropped at p. 98, hole in I2 affecting text.
FIRST EDITION, roman type, ornamental woodcut initials, approximately 270 woodcuts by Hans Rudolf Manuel Deutsch, many full-page, printer's device on title and final page. SIGNED BY PRESIDENT HERBERT HOOVER on 20 August 1931 for R.B. Honeyman.
Dibner Heralds of Science 88; Grolier/Horblit 2b; Norman 20; PMM 79.
"Agricola's best-known work, 'On Metals', is the first systematic treatise on mining and metallurgy and one of the first technological books of modern times."--Printing and the Mind of Man. "De re metallica remained the standard textbook on mining and metallurgy for over two hundred years."--Norman.
Provenance: Inscription on title noting that Ludovicus Pascal Laudondus (? of Laon, France) acquired the book from Blasius Jarguoleio (?) on 9 October 1602 -- two later inscriptions -- Robert Honeyman IV, bookplate (sale, Sotheby's London, Part I, 30 October 1978, lot 30) -- Unidentified owner, Sotheby's London, 28 January 1980, lot 235A.
Folio, 330 x 222mm. (13 x 8 3/4in.), eighteenth-century French calf, spine gilt, repairs to joints at top, to bottom compartments of spine and to corners, some slight worming to lower blank foremargins and a few stains, slight renewal to upper blank corners of first eight leaves, lacks blank leaf 6, woodcut cropped at p. 98, hole in I2 affecting text.
FIRST EDITION, roman type, ornamental woodcut initials, approximately 270 woodcuts by Hans Rudolf Manuel Deutsch, many full-page, printer's device on title and final page. SIGNED BY PRESIDENT HERBERT HOOVER on 20 August 1931 for R.B. Honeyman.
Dibner Heralds of Science 88; Grolier/Horblit 2b; Norman 20; PMM 79.
"Agricola's best-known work, 'On Metals', is the first systematic treatise on mining and metallurgy and one of the first technological books of modern times."--Printing and the Mind of Man. "De re metallica remained the standard textbook on mining and metallurgy for over two hundred years."--Norman.
Provenance: Inscription on title noting that Ludovicus Pascal Laudondus (? of Laon, France) acquired the book from Blasius Jarguoleio (?) on 9 October 1602 -- two later inscriptions -- Robert Honeyman IV, bookplate (sale, Sotheby's London, Part I, 30 October 1978, lot 30) -- Unidentified owner, Sotheby's London, 28 January 1980, lot 235A.