[CAMPER, Petrus ; Jan van RYMSDYK, illustrators].-- SMELLIE, William (1697-1763).
Reference : 2284
(1758)
Paris, Veuve Delaguette, 1758. viii, 79, [i, blank] pp. 8vo (12,5 x 19,5 cm.). Contemporary marbled calf (corners slightly rubbed), spine with 5 raised bands, in compartments gilt tooled with floral motives, gilt lettered on red morocco label; marbled end-papers, edges red. With 39 very fine copper plates in sharp impressions, engraved by Grignion.
A very good copy of the rare first French edition of Smellie's magnificent obstetrical atlas: "A sett (sic) of Anatomical Tables, with Explanations, and an Abridgment, of the Practice of Midwifery, with a view to illustrate a Treatise on the Subject, and Collection of Cases" (London, 1754). This fine work was published to illustrate Smellie's text (1752-1764), is absolutely COMPLETE in itself. Of the 39 plates, 26 are from the originals of Jan van Rymsdyk (ca. 1730-1790), 11 by Pieter Camper (1722-89), the two remaining, probably by Smellie. In this French edition the plates are in reduced format. Smellie is considered one of the greatest pioneers in scientific obstetrics, both Camper and Van Rymsdyk are amongst the greatest medical illustrators of the 18th century. Choulant-Frank, p. 75 ff.; Garrison & Morton, 6154; Thornton, "Jan van Rymsdyk, p. 10-21.
, Te Amsterdam, By Jan Morterre, 1765 + 1766, Gebonden, volleder, goudopdruk op front, 5 nerven en titelvignet op rug, originele titelpagina's, 210 x 280mm., 266 + 262 + 304 + 78pp + 41 gegraveerde platen met hun verklaring.
Verhandeling over het bespiegelend en bewerkend deel der Vroedkunde / In 't Engels geschreven door William Smellie; na de derde druk in 't Hollandsch gebragt, en met eenige weinige aanmerkingen en zaaken vermeerderd door Matthys van der Haage. Het geheel is in perfecte staat!
A Paris, chez Delaguette, 1754. Un fort vol. au format in-8 (203 x 131 mm) de 1 f. bl., xvi - 486 pp., 1 f. n.fol. ; 21 pp., 1 planche dépliante et 1 f. n.fol. Reliure de l'époque de plein veau glacé et marbré havane, filet à froid encadrant les plats, dos à nerfs orné de filets gras à froid, doubles caissons d'encadrement dorés, fleurons dorés, palette doré en tête et queue, filet doré sur les coupes, tranches rouges.
Edition originale de la traduction française. Exemplaire complet de sa planche dépliante gravée in fine. Ouvrage complet ; cependant suivi deux ans plus tard des Observations sur les accouchements. ''Smellie eut un grand succès comme professeur. On lui doit les premières mensurations du crâne du foetus, des études sur le mécanisme de l'accouchement, l'emploi du forceps, etc.'' (in Les Médecins célèbres). ''Smellie, a dominating figure among the obstetricians ot the 18th century, owed much to his association with William Hunter. In his treatise, he described more accurately than any previous writer the mechanism of parturition, stressing the importance of exact measurment ot the pelvis. He was the first to lay down safe rule sregarding the use of forceps, and himself introduced the steel-lock, the curved and the double forceps''. (in Garrison & Morton). Montfalcon, Précis de bibliographie médicale, p. 277 (pour l'originale de 1770 de la traduction française) - Garrison & Morton, Medical bibliography, 6154 - Les Médecins célèbres, p. 316 - Quérard IX, La France littéraire, p. 191 - Brunet VI, Manuel du libraire et de l'amateur de livres, 7592. Angles émoussés. Petits défauts affectant les coupes. Pièce de titre absente. Première contre-garde et premier feuillet (blanc) en passe de se désolidariser. Discrète marque d'eau en marge supérieure des feuillets ; lesquels sont parfois pourvus de rares rousseurs. Du reste, bonne condition.
Très rare ouvrage d'une importance considérable pour l'art des accouchements. Il s'agit de la première traduction en français. Notre exemplaire est composite comme très souvent. Il est bien complet de 4 tomes en 3 volume in-8° Plein veau raciné, dos à nerfs à caissons dorés, pièces de titre et de tomaison rouges, tranches rouges. Reliure de l'époque en parfait état. Plein veau raciné, dos à nerfs à caissons dorés, pièces de titre et de tomaison rouges, tranches rouges. Reliure de l'époque en parfait état. Très bon Paris Didot, 1771 (tome I), Delaguette, 1756 (tome II), Didot, 1765 (tome III et IV). 4 tomes en 3 volume in-8°
SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND ( publisher and editor ) - William Smellie - James Foulis - Earl of Buchan - John Geddes - John Dillon - [...] ( some early contributors )
Reference : 43787
" Edinburgh, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 1792 - 1890, bound in 5 large in-4° volumes, 26,8 x 21,2 cm, [Vol.I] (12)nn pp + (III- XXXIV) pp + 570 pp + 7 plates (one folding) . [Vol. II] XVIII pp + 512 pp + 32 pp (appendix) + 19 plates or tables (2 folding). [Vol. III] VII pp + 337 pp ; (9)nn pp + (VI-XXXI) pp + 212 pp + ()(errata) ( appendix) + 11 plates. [Vol. IV] VII pp + (1)(list) + 453 pp + 59 pp (appendix) + (1)(errata) + XXXI plates . [Vol. V] XI pp + 457 pp + 79 pp (list of donations) + 70 plates. (complete set with all ills.). The title pages for vols. I , II , III were published in 1890 ( with the last vol.) and are bound in at the correct places. Set uniformly bound in quarter vellum, with marbled boards and end papers, edges painted red. Spines decorated with gilt and with two labels. From the library of Greenshields-Leadbetter of Stobieside . His ex-libris tipped on to the first fly leaf in every volume. Also a later ex-libris of Mr. Blackwood Greenshields ( on the first paste down). Very fine copy in very handsome bindings. For the sake of completeness we mention as only defect the browning and staining a few plates in vols. 3 & 4. Complete set of the most important archaeological and historical periodical published in Scotland in the 19th c.. It started in the 18th century (1792 !) and ran until 1890. In this year it merged with the Society's Proceedings."