MARSILI (Luigi Ferdinando). - Lot 51

Lot n° 51
Aller au lot
Estimation :
2000 - 3000 EUR
Résultats avec frais
Résultat : 2 274EUR
MARSILI (Luigi Ferdinando). - Lot 51
MARSILI (Luigi Ferdinando). Histoire physique de la mer. Amsterdam: Aux dépens de la compagnie, 1725. - In-folio, 357 x 240: frontispiece, (4 ff.), 173 pp. 50 plates, 2 maps. Mottled brown calf, ornate ribbed spine, marbled edges (period binding). Nissen, ZBI, 2699. - Norman, 1145. - Koeman, IV, 421. French first edition dedicated to "Messieurs de l'Académie royale des sciences de Paris", of this work by Italian soldier, geographer, naturalist, geologist and botanist Luigi Ferdinando Marsili or Marsigli (1658-1730). The translation is by Jean Leclerc. It is the first book entirely devoted to marine sciences and the first oceanographic study of a single region, i.e. the Gulf of Lion in the south of France. " The Comte de Marsili (1658-1730) [...] is considered the founder of oceanography following the publication of this work. He made observations in the field, studying the seabed in the Gulf of Lion, the classification of species, currents and the properties of seawater, recalling that his entire scientific approach was based "on the experiments and observations I made myself on the spot". His discoveries on coral and its "flowers" attracted the attention of scientists, coral having been classified in the mineral kingdom since antiquity. Marsili noticed that branches of red coral he had harvested were covered with white flowers within a few hours. He deduced that coral was a living organism, belonging to the animal kingdom, which marked a decisive turning point in our knowledge of the marine environment" (Sandrine Bodin, Sorbonne library website, link; https ://patrimoine.sorbonne-universite.fr/permalink/article/74-9). The edition is illustrated with a fine allegorical frontispiece engraved by Matthys Pool (1670-1732?), a title vignette, 40 plates of corals and other marine plants, engraved by the same artist, two maps, one "Du golfe de Lion entre le cap Sisie en Provence et le Cap de Quiers en Roussillon", the other of the coast between Cap Canaille and Cap de la Croisette, now known as the Parc National des Calanques, and 10 other plates, mostly sections and tables. This copy, in contemporary binding, does not include the 6 leaves of the preface by Mr. Herman Boerhaave usually found after the preface. Beautiful copy. Some rare and minor worm work to the binding, not serious, one corner dulled.
Mes ordres d'achat
Informations sur la vente
Conditions de vente
Retourner au catalogue