GILBERT, William (1544-1603). De magnete, magneticisque corporibus, et de magno magnete tellure, London: Petrus Short, 1600, 2° (280 x 185mm.), FIRST EDITION, title with woodcut device and Gilbert's coat-of-arms to verso, one folding plate, woodcut illustrations (title lightly soiled, marginal dampstains to a few leaves, occasional spotting and marginal browning, endpapers torn, still good and clean), reimboitage of early limp vellum (spine repaired), morocco-backed folding case. [Dibner 54; Hoover 352; Horblit 41; Norman 905; Osler 675; NLM 2099; PMM 107; STC 11883; Sparrow 85, Wheeler 72].

Details

GILBERT, William (1544-1603). De magnete, magneticisque corporibus, et de magno magnete tellure, London: Petrus Short, 1600, 2° (280 x 185mm.), FIRST EDITION, title with woodcut device and Gilbert's coat-of-arms to verso, one folding plate, woodcut illustrations (title lightly soiled, marginal dampstains to a few leaves, occasional spotting and marginal browning, endpapers torn, still good and clean), reimboitage of early limp vellum (spine repaired), morocco-backed folding case. [Dibner 54; Hoover 352; Horblit 41; Norman 905; Osler 675; NLM 2099; PMM 107; STC 11883; Sparrow 85, Wheeler 72].

Provenance

Gilbournd, inscription to title.

Lot Essay

Gilbert practised as a doctor in London and was appointed physician to Queen Elisabeth's court, probably sometime after the publication of De magnete, which is considered "the first great scientific work published in England" (Horblit). Two other editions were published in the 17th century, both at Stettin, in 1628 and 1633.

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