Edward Topsell (1572-1625) - photo 1
Edward Topsell (1572-1625) - photo 2
Edward Topsell (1572-1625) - photo 3
Edward Topsell (1572-1625) - photo 4
Edward Topsell (1572-1625) - photo 5
Edward Topsell (1572-1625) - photo 6

Edward Topsell (1572-1625)

Starting price
£ 7 000
Auction dateClassic
09.12.2020 00:00UTC +01:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
United Kingdom, London
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ID 470157
Lot 153 | Edward Topsell (1572-1625)
Edward Topsell (1572-1625)

The Historie of Foure-Footed Beastes. 1607

TOPSELL, Edward (1572-1625). The Historie of Foure-Footed Beastes ... collected out of all the volumes of Conradus Gesner. London: William Jaggard, 1607 [With:] – The Historie of Serpents. London: William Jaggard, 1608.



First edition, issue with the gorgon on title of Foure-Footed Beastes. These two works are the first of Topsell's translations from Gesner's Historiae animalium. Topsell was a Church of England clergyman who viewed the study of nature as a spiritual exercise, and in his dedication to Richard Neile, Dean of Westminster, stresses that his work is suitable sabbath reading. Both books derive almost entirely from Gesner's works of some fifty years earlier, and the woodcut illustrations are almost exact copies of those used by Gesner. The first word of the title is xylographic. Nissen ZBI 4145 and 4146; Wood p. 599; STC 24123; Wellisch 23/24.7 and 27.4.



Two works in one volume, folio (334 x 223mm). Preliminary blanks [A1] to both works and final blank [3Y8] to first work present. Woodcuts on titles and in the text, some full-page (first work: small marginal tears to B1, H3, gathering 3D and leaf 2X3, this latter just into text but without loss of letters, 150mm closed tear to B5 with old tape repair on verso just into text, H4-5 with tiny marginal rust mark with associated hole, K2 trimmed affecting head of giraffe on verso, 3M3 with small marginal loss to corner, final blank torn and soiled; second work: light soiling to extreme margin of fore-edge of H5v, tear associated with paper flaw on L3 into text but with loss to a couple of letters and repaired with old paper on verso, very short marginal tear to V4, tiny marginal rust spot and associated hole to 2H1-2). Contemporary calf, covers with central panel formed by single gilt fillet with small rosette corner tools, enclosing ?later gilt arabesque (rebacked preserving original morocco lettering piece, extremities rubbed).

Place of origin:Northern Europe
Category:Book
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
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United Kingdom
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09.12.2020 – 09.12.2020
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