
Lot 60•
KIRCHER (ATHANASIUS) Mundus subterraneus, 1665
11 March 2020, 13:00 GMT
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £4,437.50 inc. premium
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KIRCHER (ATHANASIUS)
Mundus subterraneus, in XII libros digestus, 2 vol. bound in 1, 2 additional engraved titles, 2 engraved portraits, 23 engraved plates and maps (some folding), 7 folding letterpress tables, numerous engraved and wood-engraved illustrations in the text, lacks 2 text leaves of text (supplied from a later edition), contemporary calf, rebacked retaining old red morocco gilt spine label [Ferguson I, 467; Sabin 37967; Shirley. World Maps 436], folio (400 x 238mm.), Amsterdam, J. Jansson, and E. Weyerstraten, 1665
Footnotes
First edition of Kircher's pioneering survey of the subterranean world, investigating the geology of the earth, metallurgy and mining, meteorolgy, minerals and other scientific fields, but also speculating on more esoteric subjects such as the possibility of underworld inhabitants.
Provenance: James Whatman, armorial bookplate.