The Descent of Man - photo 1
The Descent of Man - photo 2

The Descent of Man

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$ 3 780
Auction dateClassic
19.10.2023 10:00UTC -04:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
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USA, New York
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ID 1032689
Lot 37 | The Descent of Man
DARWIN, Charles (1809–1882). The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871.

Fine first edition, a presentation copy from one of the printers. William Clowes was an early adopter of the steam-powered printing press. He died in 1847 but his sons William, Winchester and George, took over the business and according to an early owner, this volume was presented by either William the younger or Winchester. This copy is the second issue of the work, printed in March of 1871, with the corrected pages concerning sexual selection in both volumes.

The word "evolution" appears here for the first time in any of Darwin’s works, on page 2 of the first volume, "before its appearance in the sixth edition of the Origin of Species in the following year" (Freeman p.129). "In the Origin Darwin had avoided discussing the place occupied by Homo sapiens in the scheme of natural selection, stating only that 'light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history.' Twelve years later he made good his promise with The Descent of Man, in which he compared man’s physical and psychological characteristics to similar traits in apes and other animals, showing how even man’s mind and moral sense could have developed through evolutionary processes. In discussing man’s ancestry Darwin did not claim that man was directly descended from apes as we know them today, but stated simply that the extinct ancestors of Homo sapiens would have to be classified among the primates; however, this statement, as misinterpreted by the popular press, caused a furore second only to that raised by the Origin" (Norman). Freeman 937; Garrison and Morton 170; Norman 599.

Two volumes, octavo (190 x 125mm). Illustrated with wood-engravings in the text. 16-page publisher’s ads at ends of each volume, both dated January 1871. (A little light spotting to ads and half-titles, first half-title with a blank corner torn off). Original blindstamped cloth, spines lettered in gilt. Provenance: contemporary inscription on first half-title: “Given to me by W. Clowes / March, 1891” – Hurrell (19th century armorial bookplate).
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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