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Sold by order of the Trustees of the Firle Estate Settlement
GILBERT, William (1544-1603)
De magnete, magneticisque corporibus, et de mango magnete tellure; Physiologia nova, plurimus & aegumentis, & experimentis demonstrata. London, P. Short, 1600.
Details
GILBERT, William (1544-1603)
De magnete, magneticisque corporibus, et de mango magnete tellure; Physiologia nova, plurimus & aegumentis, & experimentis demonstrata. London, P. Short, 1600.
First edition, in a stunning contemporary royal armorial binding made for the library of Henry Frederick Prince of Wales, of this ground-breaking, illustrated work on magnetism and electricity.
Prince Henry, the older brother of King Charles I, tragically died of fever at the age of 18, fatefully leaving his younger brother Charles to become king. Henry was created Prince of Wales in 1610, so it seems that this binding was made for his library between 1610 and his death in 1612. 'Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (born 19th February 1594, died 6th November 1612), was the eldest son of James I., and from his childhood showed studious and literary inclinations, as well as sporting tastes. In 1609 he purchased the library of John, Lord Lumley, a great part of which had previously belonged to his father-in-law, Henry Fitz-Alan, Earl of Arundel, and another large proportion to Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury .. Prince Henry had his books bound in calf .. The new bindings were ornamented with stamps bearing the Prince's coat-of-arms, without supporters, and others showing a lion rampant, with princely coronet; a Tudor rose, with princely coronet; a fleur-de-lys, and two stamps, with slight variations, of the Prince of Wales's plume of three ostrich feathers. These latter stamps are normally used as corner-pieces, but they also show now and then as centres .. The greater number of Prince Henry's bindings are simple, having the coat-of-arms in the centre and the badges in the corners .. The feathers in the Prince of Wales's plume are always impressed in silver, which has now oxidised black' (Davenport, English heraldic Book-Stamps pp. 223-8). An inscription on the fly-leaf attributes the binding to Charles I which is natural as Charles inherited from his older brother both the tools used on this binding, which were then used for books for his library. However the feathers in Charles’ bindings as Prince of Wales are usually gilt stamped.
The first edition of 'the first major English scientific treatise based on experimental methods of research. Gilbert was chiefly concerned with magnetism; but as a digression he discusses in his second book the attractive effect of amber (electrum), and thus may be regarded as the founder of electrical science. He coined the terms '"electricity", "electric force" and "electric attraction"' (PMM). In Book One Gilbert "introduced his new basic idea ... that the earth is a gigantic lodestone and thus has magnetic properties" while in Book Two, his observations on the amber effect "introduced the vocabulary of electrics, and is the basis for Gilbert's place in the history of electricity" (DSB). The second chapter of Book II is ‘the earliest ever published on electricity’ (Mottelay, p.83). A remarkable fresh copy, in a beautiful binding with exceptional royal provenance. Dibner Heralds of Science 54; Grolier/Horblit 41; Heilbron, pp. 169-179; Norman 905; PMM 107; STC 11883; Wellcome 2830. Mottelay, Bibliographical history of electricity & Magnetism, p. 83.
Small folio (284 x 190mm). pp. [16], 240 + 1 folding plate. Printer’s device to title [McKerrow 119], Gilbert’s woodcut arms to verso, 90 woodcut diagrams of magnets etc., woodcut initials, head and tail-pieces (title very slightly dusty, early inscription on fly-leaf attributing the binding to Charles I). Contemporary English calf, sides bordered with gilt and blind rules, arms of Henry Prince of Wales gilt stamped at centres [British Armorial Bindings, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (1594-1612) (Stamp 01)], Henry’s device as Prince of Wales [stamp 04], three ostrich feathers emerging from a coronet with the motto 'Ich dien', stamped in silver to corners (now oxidised black), spine with gilt ruled raised bands, roses gilt stamped in compartments, board edges with gilt rolls, all edges blue (small restoration to head and tail of spine and one corner, joints a little rubbed). Provenance: Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (1594 -1612), (arms and device gilt on sides) – 'Hen. Ben. Hall' (Henry Benedict Hall of High Meadow, Stanton, Gloucestershire, b.1623-d.1687, or his son of the same name, c.1655-1719, by descent to:) – Viscount Gage (bookplate possibly that of Henry Hall Gage, 4th Viscount, 1791-1877) – thence by descent.
De magnete, magneticisque corporibus, et de mango magnete tellure; Physiologia nova, plurimus & aegumentis, & experimentis demonstrata. London, P. Short, 1600.
First edition, in a stunning contemporary royal armorial binding made for the library of Henry Frederick Prince of Wales, of this ground-breaking, illustrated work on magnetism and electricity.
Prince Henry, the older brother of King Charles I, tragically died of fever at the age of 18, fatefully leaving his younger brother Charles to become king. Henry was created Prince of Wales in 1610, so it seems that this binding was made for his library between 1610 and his death in 1612. 'Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (born 19th February 1594, died 6th November 1612), was the eldest son of James I., and from his childhood showed studious and literary inclinations, as well as sporting tastes. In 1609 he purchased the library of John, Lord Lumley, a great part of which had previously belonged to his father-in-law, Henry Fitz-Alan, Earl of Arundel, and another large proportion to Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury .. Prince Henry had his books bound in calf .. The new bindings were ornamented with stamps bearing the Prince's coat-of-arms, without supporters, and others showing a lion rampant, with princely coronet; a Tudor rose, with princely coronet; a fleur-de-lys, and two stamps, with slight variations, of the Prince of Wales's plume of three ostrich feathers. These latter stamps are normally used as corner-pieces, but they also show now and then as centres .. The greater number of Prince Henry's bindings are simple, having the coat-of-arms in the centre and the badges in the corners .. The feathers in the Prince of Wales's plume are always impressed in silver, which has now oxidised black' (Davenport, English heraldic Book-Stamps pp. 223-8). An inscription on the fly-leaf attributes the binding to Charles I which is natural as Charles inherited from his older brother both the tools used on this binding, which were then used for books for his library. However the feathers in Charles’ bindings as Prince of Wales are usually gilt stamped.
The first edition of 'the first major English scientific treatise based on experimental methods of research. Gilbert was chiefly concerned with magnetism; but as a digression he discusses in his second book the attractive effect of amber (electrum), and thus may be regarded as the founder of electrical science. He coined the terms '"electricity", "electric force" and "electric attraction"' (PMM). In Book One Gilbert "introduced his new basic idea ... that the earth is a gigantic lodestone and thus has magnetic properties" while in Book Two, his observations on the amber effect "introduced the vocabulary of electrics, and is the basis for Gilbert's place in the history of electricity" (DSB). The second chapter of Book II is ‘the earliest ever published on electricity’ (Mottelay, p.83). A remarkable fresh copy, in a beautiful binding with exceptional royal provenance. Dibner Heralds of Science 54; Grolier/Horblit 41; Heilbron, pp. 169-179; Norman 905; PMM 107; STC 11883; Wellcome 2830. Mottelay, Bibliographical history of electricity & Magnetism, p. 83.
Small folio (284 x 190mm). pp. [16], 240 + 1 folding plate. Printer’s device to title [McKerrow 119], Gilbert’s woodcut arms to verso, 90 woodcut diagrams of magnets etc., woodcut initials, head and tail-pieces (title very slightly dusty, early inscription on fly-leaf attributing the binding to Charles I). Contemporary English calf, sides bordered with gilt and blind rules, arms of Henry Prince of Wales gilt stamped at centres [British Armorial Bindings, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (1594-1612) (Stamp 01)], Henry’s device as Prince of Wales [stamp 04], three ostrich feathers emerging from a coronet with the motto 'Ich dien', stamped in silver to corners (now oxidised black), spine with gilt ruled raised bands, roses gilt stamped in compartments, board edges with gilt rolls, all edges blue (small restoration to head and tail of spine and one corner, joints a little rubbed). Provenance: Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (1594 -1612), (arms and device gilt on sides) – 'Hen. Ben. Hall' (Henry Benedict Hall of High Meadow, Stanton, Gloucestershire, b.1623-d.1687, or his son of the same name, c.1655-1719, by descent to:) – Viscount Gage (bookplate possibly that of Henry Hall Gage, 4th Viscount, 1791-1877) – thence by descent.
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Eugenio Donadoni
Senior Specialist, Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts