De subtilitate libri XXI by CARDANO, Girolamo - 1550

Nürnberg: J. Petreius, 1550. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Folio (309 x 201 mm). [36], 371 [1] pp. Roman type, italic marginalia. Woodcut printer's device on title, woodcut portrait of the author on title verso, numerous woodcut illustrations and diagrams in text, blank leaf D6. Signatures: A-C4 D6 a-z4 aa-yy4 zz6. 204 leaves. Bound in 20th-century half-vellum and pastepaper boards. Text quite crisp and clean throughout with only minor occasional spotting. Last 10 gatherings with light waterstaining to inner margins; small marginal tears to title; p. 195 with text corrections in contemporary hand. Provenance: old ownership entry at head of title-page; Former Redemptorist order, Hennef-Geistingen* (ink stamp "Bibl. Prov. Germ. Inf. C.SS.R" on title page). A very good, tall copy. ----

EXCEPTIONALLY RARE FIRST EDITION OF CARDANO'S MOST CELEBRATED WORK. This encyclopaedia of natural science "represents the most advanced representation of physical knowledge up to his time and the idea that all creation is in progressive development" (Dibner). It contains a wide variety of subjects and facts, both real and imaginary, which include: cosmology, the construction of machines, the laws of mechanics, cryptology, alchemy, and various branches of the occult. De subtilitate went through many editions in the sixteenth century, and as well numerous editions of the French translation. A supplement to De subtilitate was published in 1557, entitled De rerum varietate, and was equally popular in its day. "It is a mine of facts, both real and imaginary; of notes on the state of the sciences; of superstition, technology, alchemy, and various branches of the occult" (DSB). The woodcuts show geometric figures, chemical experimental arrangements, physical apparatuses, etc.
This first edition is quite rare. RareBookHub records only two copies at auction in the past 50 years: one copy at Sothebys sold for €18,000 in 2007 and the Norman copy at Christies for $8050 in 1998.
* The Redemptorists officially named the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Latin: Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris), abbreviated CSsR is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men (priests and brothers). It was founded by Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, Italy, for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people around Naples. It is dedicated to missionary work and they minister in more than 100 countries. Members of the congregation are Catholic priests and consecrated religious brothers. The Redemptorist library in Hennef was sold and dispersed in the early 2000s.
References: Dibner 139; Duveen pp. 116-117; Norman 401; DSB III, p.66; Wellcome I, 1290; Sinkankas 1145; Adams C 668; Riccardi I/I, 252, 6.1. - Visit our website to see more images!