Jul 30, 2020 - Sale 2543

Sale 2543 - Lot 306

Price Realized: $ 5,000
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 600 - $ 800
Wilkins, John (1614-1672) Mathematicall Magick or the Wonders that may be Performed by Mechanicall Geometry. Octavo, A7 (lacking A1, preliminary blank), B-T8, V4; illustrated throughout with text woodcuts, metalcuts, and engravings; bound in later blind-tooled and sponge-decorated English calf boards, modern rebacking, ex libris James Brydges, third Duke of Chandos (1731-1789), with his ca. 1744-1771 bookplate bearing the Marquiss of Carnarvon title; signed on ffep by the Duke's father-in-law, John Nicol of Southgate, Minchington Hall, and one-time owner of the Chandos portrait of William Shakespeare; typed letter signed by Australian polar explorere, ornithologist, pilot, soldier, geographer, and photographer Sir George Hubert Wilkins (1888-1958) dated December 23, 1954, addressed to Zenith Radio founder Commander Eugene F. McDonald (1886-1958) inserted, regarding new hearing aids sent from McDonald to Wilkins, mention of Wilkins's upcoming tour, Walt Disney, his Nautilus expedition, and Verne's inspiration to write Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea after reading Mathematicall Magick; one text leaf with closed tear, formerly repaired with yellowed tape; 6 3/4 x 4 in. London: by M[iles]. F[lesher]. for Sa. Gellibrand, 1648.

Additional Details

One of three first edition variants printed in 1648, with "by I.W." on the title page and the words "wonders" and "powers" each spelled with a "vv"; Wing W-2198; ESTC R227427.