De Unicornu Observationes Novae. Secunda editione Auctiores & emendatiores edita a Filio Casparo Bartholino [with] De Ovariis mulierum et Generationis Historia Epistola Anatomica

Description:

Both works second editions. Text Latin.

'De Unicornu..' by Thomas Bartholin, second edition, revised and corrected by Caspar Bartholin. (First edition was published in Padua, 1645). A treatise on the unicorn examining its history and mythology and the likelihood of its existence drawing on available evidence, together with a study of other one-horned animals such as the narwahl, rhinoceros, the rhinoceros beetle and hawk moth caterpillar. The illustrations include a depiction of the first rhinoceros imported into Europe in 1515, after Dürer's famous image. Nissen ZBI, 244.

'De Ovariis mulierum...' by Caspar Bartholin, second edition. It is in this work (first published in Rome, 1677) that Bartholin first described the glands to which his name is given, 'glandulae vestibularis majores' (Bartholin's glands).

Thomas Bartholin (1616-1680) and his son Caspar Bartholin (1655-1783) were from an eminent family which dominated Danish medical and anatomical science for three generations. Caspar succeeded his father as Professor of Medicine, Anatomy and Physics at the University of Copenhagen. The first prominent member of the family was Thomas' father, also Caspar Bartholin (1585-1629), physician and theologian, who also published a work on unicorns in 1628.

Condition

Two works bound in one volume, 12mo (145x80mm), cont. vellum, a little soiled, ink title to spine, inner hinges cracked, but still firm. A very good copy.

'De Unicornu...' pp. [16], [1]-381, [15], allegorical engraved title by Romeyn de Hooghe, folding egraved plate, 23 engraved illustrations (20 full-page), wood engraved title vignette, head and tailpieces; 'De Ovariis Mulierum...' pp. [2], 3-69, [3], wood engraved title vignette.

Provenance: Later bookplate of James Murphy M.R.C.V.S. (1854-1919). After studying at the Glasgow Veterinary College, Murphy gave up his veterinary studies to devote himselft to the study of science in general, spending some time as assistant to the botanist, Prof. Frederick Orpen Bower, at the University of Glasgow. He eventually returned to veterinary medicine and was appointed as the first Professor of Anatomy at Glasgow Veterinary College, a position he held until his death.