First Editions

First collected edition of these two works, originally published at Oxford in 1701 (Physica) and 1718 (Astronomia) respectively, illustrated with a title vignette, 12 folding plates for physics (experiments, diagrams, geometry), 29 for astronomy, and 6 for trigonometry, numbered I to XLVII.

Contemporary marbled brown sheep binding. Spine with raised bands richly decorated. Red morocco title label. Worn binding. Headcaps torn away. Joints split at head and foot, along two compartments for the upper joint. Corners heavily bumped. Paper more or less browned.

Treatise and manual of astronomy and physics with various short treatises, including one on trigonometry. The physics treatise is based on the Newtonian physics lessons that Keill gave at Oxford. A Scottish mathematician and defender of Newton's work, this Oxford professor was one of the first to teach physics and astronomy according to mathematics. The cartographic plates of the Moon were made following the works of Hevelius, Riccioli, Langren who each in their own way catalogued and observed the lunar relief.

The rare first edition of the two volumes published respectively in 1724 and 1726. It is illustrated with 2 head-piece vignettes, 8 pages of musical scores, a cabalistic tree printed separately, the Samaritan Alphabet, 2 plates of coins and 2 figures also printed separately.

Copy with arms stamped on the covers and within each compartment from the library of the Abbey of Saint-Victor. The Abbey of Saint-Victor was one of the oldest abbeys in Paris (on the site of the University of Jussieu and the Jardin des Plantes) and one of the great intellectual centers of the medieval West; its rich library was opened to the public in the 18th century with the addition of new buildings. The abbey was destroyed during the Revolution and most of its collections joined the Bibliothèque nationale.

Contemporary bindings in full glazed blonde calf. Raised band spines decorated. Red morocco title labels, volume labels rubbed, as well as the library label at the foot. Headcap of volume I worn with upper joint cracked at head. A loss at the head of volume II; upper joint exposed with a loss at foot. Some corners slightly bumped. Despite the defects, a very handsome copy, with fine tooling and beautiful arms.

First bilingual French-German edition, illustrated with 71 plates and a fortification table.
Contemporary full ivory vellum binding. Smooth spine decorated with triple blind fillets, title and author in pen. Boards framed with triple blind fillets; traces of clasps. All edges blue. Six small contemporary leather bookmarks. Bavarian bookplate of the period.
Spine split with a small loss along its entire length. One joint slightly cracked (1.5cm). A small ink stain on the second board. Pages uniformly and lightly browned. Front pastedown affected by bookworm damage.

First edition illustrated with two title vignettes designed by Picart.

19th-century black Bradel binding in full boards. Orange calf title labels. Small rubbing to headcap. Handsome copy.

A major work on generation and embryology, in which one discovers the hypothesis of chromosomes as well as that of environmental influence. Bonnet perfects his thesis according to which every being exists previously in germ form in nature, thus the embryo already exists in the seminal fluid, and generation is merely the simple development of the germ, which, from small, develops through nutrition; the germ already containing everything that will be developed. Although Bonnet develops the extensions and consequences of this fundamental postulate, this in no way prevents him from penetrating the mysteries of embryology and fertilization. The germ thesis seeming a middle ground between spontaneous generation and procreation, it appears a solution to the theoretical impasse to which spontaneous generation leads, contradicted by observations, in which Bonnet possesses great finesse. Bonnet is not only interested in mammals but extensively in plants and earthworms.

Librairie Alain Brieux label.

First French edition, illustrated with 3 folding plates containing numerous figures.

Contemporary marbled blonde calf binding. Spine with raised bands, decorated. Red morocco title label. Two small restorations to upper cover. Handsome copy.

Fundamental work on the theory of generation. The conclusions reached by Spallanzani precede those of Pasteur by nearly a century. He notably refutes the theory of spontaneous generation; it is while working on the refutation of this famous concept that Spallanzani discovers the role of spermatozoa and ovaries in mammals, through his observations on external reproduction in frogs; he will moreover be the first to perform artificial insemination in a female dog. The author also demonstrates regeneration in lizards. Senebier translated most of Spallanzani's works into French; he was also a scientist.

New edition of the work that Lange had published approximately half a century earlier under the name of Gastier, prosecutor at the parliament, and which originally bore the title "Praticien français". Quérard gives the 1755 edition, the last edition, and remarks: "The various intermediate editions underwent considerable modifications; those of 1699 and 1702 were given by Denis Simon, who added observations on various matters. After the author's death, two manuscript works found among his papers were added, one on the Right of indult; the other on Ecclesiastical jurisprudence". Title page in red and black.

Full blonde sheep binding. Spine with five raised bands decorated with a red morocco title label, compartments, fleurons and small bird tools. All edges red. Head slightly worn and a little damaged, corners bumped and surface wear. Fresh interior.

A classic of French legal literature of the 17th and 18th centuries.

First edition.
Contemporary full brown calf binding. Spine with raised bands decorated with 5 fleurons. Red morocco title-label. Triple gilt fillet frame on boards. Rubbing to headcaps, joints, edges and corners. 2 corners slightly bumped. Good copy.
Treatise on the courtier, and the manner of conducting oneself with princes.

Fragility of the courtier's position and utility of diplomacy.

The rare first edition of this pamphlet.
Stitched pamphlet, unbound.

The commission of agriculture and arts was founded in 1794 and Parmentier was from its creation an eminent and influential member. The potato was soon perceived, thanks to Parmentier, as a means to combat famine and food shortages, whether for humans or animals.

NB: This work is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.

First edition, rare.

Contemporary full blond calf bindings, mottled. Smooth spines decorated with urn tools and fillets. Red morocco lettering-pieces and green morocco volume labels, the latter additionally bearing the letters AB, NZ... Rich border of palmettes and frieze on the covers, with on the upper cover: Prix des Ecoles Académiques; and on the lower cover: Lille 1812. Rubbing. Some corners bumped. A handsome and highly decorative set.

First edition, richly illustrated, of the abridged version of the famous commentaries by the Chevalier de Folard, established by the Count of Chabot. 113 copperplate engravings - sometimes folding (Volume I: 51, volume 2: 22 and volume 3: 40) - representing techniques, battle scenes and war machines of Antiquity; including 4 maps and a plan of Cremona.

Full speckled blonde calf binding. Spine with five raised bands decorated with red morocco title and volume labels and gilt compartments and fleurons; gilt dentelles at foot. All edges red. Two head caps worn, the third slightly rubbed. Some wormholes on the spine of the second volume. Two corners slightly bumped. Numerous scuffing.

First edition, illustrated with 20 figures (battle scenes) at the end of the work. Gothic round typeface.
Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Jansenist spine with raised bands. Tawny morocco title label. Blind title. German binding.
History of the war between Prussia and its allied states and Austria and its allied states. It was Frederick II who triggered the hostilities between the two nations by attempting to seize Silesia, this war took place within the conflict of the Austrian succession.

First edition. Rare.

Half tan sheep bindings, smooth spines decorated with double gilt fillets showing some rubbing traces, two lower headcaps affected by small lacks due in one case to slight worm damage not affecting the text at all, and brown stains, upper headcap of volume 2 abraded, gilt names of a previous owner at foot, one joint of volume 3 cracked at head, marbled paper boards, later but 19th^century bindings. Rare and handsome copy almost entirely free from foxing.

Swedish entomologist and military officer who studied under Linnaeus. The Insects of Sweden (Insecta suecica) forms his most important contribution to the discipline; his insect collection was very extensive.

Volumes 1 and 4 each contain, bound at rear, manuscript notes and annotations covering 5½ pages, in a fine and close hand, certainly by the first owner of the work: A. Godart whose name appears at the foot of each volume.

First edition.

Half twentieth-century skivertex binding imitating leather. Marbled paper boards. Gilt title. Good copy.

Protectionist measure for the purchase of leather-bound books. The ruling reports the favorable outcome of the lawsuit brought by the shoemakers of Châteauvillain.

First edition, magnificently illustrated with a frontispiece by Cochin, engraved by Saint-Aubin, a title vignette by the same, 59 large tailpieces and headpieces (designed and engraved by Saint-Aubin) explained and deciphered at the beginning of the work, and 179 figures hors-texte each presenting an engraved stone (engraved by Saint-Aubin). Fine printing on deluxe Holland paper.

Full black morocco-grained shagreen binding ca 1850. Smooth spine with flat raised bands decorated with fillets and roulettes on the bands. Triple-ruled frames on boards with corner fleurons. Marbled edges. Light rubbing to headcaps, corners. Paper lacking to margin of one leaf in volume I. Some leaves browned. Pale angular dampstain on 3 leaves of volume I. Handsome copy, with wide margins. 

Second edition and first published by Cazin, with two volumes added; a first edition in 4 volumes was published in Geneva in 1782. Musical scores at the end of volumes. Only volumes 5 and 6 contain no musical score, the songs being sung to airs already noted in the other volumes, which are identified by the air numbers. 48pp. of musical scores in volume 1; 48pp. in volume 2; 38 in volume 3; 40 in volume 4.

Later brown half-sheep binding (1800). Smooth spine decorated with three fleurons and fillets. Red morocco title-label with roulettes. Red morocco volume label in a roundel. Marbled paper boards. Rubbing to headcaps and joints. Corners slightly bumped.

First edition of this French translation, illustrated with a frontispiece containing 3 figures and a title vignette by Quinau. A first translation had appeared under the title Hipparchus in 1645; one could not say however that this new translation carried out by a Protestant is literal, it is rather a free translation to which a pamphleteering charge has been added.
Contemporary full blonde sheep binding. Richly decorated raised spine. Beige morocco title-label. Wormholes on spine with a lack to title-label. Handsome copy nevertheless.
There would be according to the author, both a reprehensible commerce and one that would not be so.

First edition. One frontispiece.

Contemporary full blonde sheep binding. Smooth spine decorated, red morocco title-label. Headcap worn. One hole at foot. 2 corners slightly bumped. Rubbing.

First edition, quite rare; a counterfeit edition appeared on the same date in Amsterdam.

Contemporary full glazed and marbled blonde calf binding. Decorated smooth spines. Red morocco title and volume labels. A small lack at head of volume I. Five corners slightly bumped. Rubbing. Good copy.

Without doubt Bonnet's most ambitious and remarkable study which earned him the designation of father of modern biology. This work of theoretical biology drawing its source from multi-disciplinary reflection and its postulate from Leibniz (the immortality of the soul) claims that the Earth periodically suffers universal catastrophes which destroy almost all life and that the survivors each time rise one degree on the evolutionary scale. Bonnet was the first to use the term evolution in a biological context. The work also prefigures experimental psychology. There would exist in each being germs which pre-exist it and ensure the survival of the species, Bonnet's thesis announcing the theories and discoveries of genes. It was blindness that in Bonnet put a stop to experimentation and engaged him on the path of philosophical reflection.

Rare assemblage of the two parts usually found separated of the Palais. While the Palais de la gloire does not constitute a sequel in the strict sense, it is a second volume envisaged by the author. It remains uncertain why this one appeared with another publisher; perhaps this change, together with the year separating the two first editions, accounts for the constant separation of the works.
Later edition of the Palais de l'honneur, first published in 1663, and first edition of the Palais de la gloire. The first work is illustrated with an allegorical frontispiece by Chauveau and 12 engraved plates of coats of arms.
Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Spine with raised bands, gilt-tooled. Red morocco lettering-piece. Headcap partially worn away (same at foot). Upper joint cracked and split at head along the first compartment. Corners rubbed. Initial leaves of the second work toned. The 12 plates are unpaginated; moreover, the Palais de la gloire begins at p. 288, without any loss, as in all copies (noting in particular numerous pagination errors).

First edition, rare and valuable.
Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Spine with raised bands, gilt tooling. Binding with some surface wear. Losses to the joints at headcap and to the upper joint at tail. One corner rubbed.

French first edition and first translation into vernacular after the original Latin, which had appeared in the Elementa physiologica in 8 volumes, published from 1757 to 1766.

Full speckled blonde calf bindings. Raised band spines with ornamentation. Red morocco title and volume labels. Head caps worn, same for the foot cap of volume 2. Two corners bumped on volume 2. Volume label of volume 1 missing. Some leaves yellowed.

Important study devoted to the phenomena of generation, fertilization and embryology, with a description of sexual organs and their function. By establishing a state of contemporary knowledge, Haller refutes certain previously established theses, notably that of Malpighi, and establishes new ones, clarifying the way in which new individuals come into the world.

Contemporary brown sheep, spine in compartments, headpiece and one corner repaired, wormtrack to middle of upper margin, a few insignificant wormholes. The final engraving is shaved and lacking the last lines of text from the legend. A very good copy.

Du Verney's first work; he was renowned for his knowledge of anatomy and physiology, was tutor to the Dauphin and taught in the Botanical Gardens.

This is the first scientific monograph on the structure of the ear and its illnesses, and is therefore very significant. It played a determining role in the understanding of this organ, whose study had been until then much neglected. Stamp of Doctor Maurice Petit of Montereau.

New and improved enlarged edition (partly original), illustrated with a frontispiece, 12 unsigned figures, and 6 title vignettes (the title pages are entirely engraved). A fine printing. The original 1770 edition comprised only 3 volumes in-12.
Contemporary full mottled calf bindings. Smooth spines decorated with floral tools and multiple gilt rolls. Triple gilt fillet framing on covers. Blue sprinkled edges. Slight surface wear to the covers. A few wormholes to the joints, and some worming in the margin of volume I. Despite these minor flaws, a handsome, well-bound and fresh copy.

Sixth edition with some parts in first edition. It contains 54 new remarks compared to previous editions.

Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Rubbing. The last endpaper has been pasted down over the privilege. 3 wormholes on the spine.

First edition of the French translation by Camus with the Greek text facing.

Contemporary marbled full calf bindings. Smooth spines decorated with two grotesque compartments and two stamps, fillets and rolls. Red morocco title labels and black morocco volume labels. Headcap of volume I worn. Rubbing.

Camus's translation is highly esteemed, though it concerns only the first volume, the second gathering notes and observations on modern natural history. Camus further establishes the importance of Aristotle's work and its influence on natural history bibliography. There is an interesting table allowing one to locate animals in Aristotle, in Greek, Latin and French. This second part is highly erudite and contains numerous references to other works, describing in situ each animal found in Aristotle's treatise.

First edition.

Contemporary full blonde calf binding with marbled decoration. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Head worn. 2 corners slightly bumped. Headcaps rubbed. A reasonably good copy.
This police treatise is undoubtedly the best testimony one can find on the customs and daily life of the French in the 18th century. It shows what was done regarding wolves or masterless dogs, plague, games in fairs and markets, latrines... Compared to the famous police treatise by Delamare, which the author mentions in his preface, this present treatise has a more practical aim, which is why it has been put in dictionary form. It contains not only all the edicts relating to a question but also precious commentaries by the author. Colbert defined police in these terms in an ordinance of 1669: 'Police consists in ensuring public peace and that of individuals, in procuring abundance and in making each person live according to their condition'.

Label: Librairie Raymond Clavreuil.

NB: This work is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.