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Diatribe de prodigiosi Crucibus
by KIRCHER, Athanasius
- Used
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Calabasas, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Roma: Vitale Mascardi, 1661. First Edition of One of the Rarest of Athanasius Kircher's Books
"Post-Vesuvius Crosses"
KIRCHER, Athanasius. Diatribe de prodigiosi Crucibus: quae tam supra vestes hominum, quam res alias, non pridem post vltimum incendium Vesuuij Montis Neapoli Comparuerunt. Roma: Vitale Mascardi, 1661.
First edition. Small octavo (6 1/2 x 4 1/16 inches; 164 x 103 mm). [viii], 103, [1, blank] pp., one fold-out plate. Roman and italic type. Woodcut initials, head- tailpieces.
Nineteenth century full vellum, spine lettered in manuscript. Slight burn mark affecting 1/4 x 1/2 inch of top blank margin of last three leaves of text and rear endleaves (not affecting any text). Later endpapers with original marbled endpapers bound in. An excellent copy of a very rare book. Housed in a fleece-lined half black morocco clamshell case.
"During 1661 a further work was published by Kircher which brought a refreshingly rational approach to a problem worrying the people of Naples. Mysterious crosses had been appearing on clothing and all manner of fabrics. In this Diatribe de prodigiosis crucibus Kircher proved that the suspected indication of heavenly wrath was little more than the presence in the air around Vesuvius-dominated Naples of minute specks of volcanic ash, settling on the texture of woven cloth." (John Fletcher. A study of the life and works of Athanasius Kircher, p. 51).
One of the rarest of all works in first edition by Kircher and near impossible to find in the marketplace, Diatribe de Prodigiosis Crucibus "attempts to explain the uncanny appearance of crosses on clothing and other objects immediately after an eruption of Vesuvius in 1660. He begins by discussing the history of similar appearances and the nature of miracles in general. God, he says, works by natural means, and miracles can therefore be explained rationally...Nevertheless, he argues, the crosses are a portent from God warning the people to repent. This approach is an excellent illustration of Kircher's position between the two worlds of the seventeenth century, the scientific and the orthodox" (Merrill).
Kircher: Merrill 16. Brunet III, 67. Graesse IV, 21. Sommervogel IV, 1059.18. Clendening 9.12.
"Post-Vesuvius Crosses"
KIRCHER, Athanasius. Diatribe de prodigiosi Crucibus: quae tam supra vestes hominum, quam res alias, non pridem post vltimum incendium Vesuuij Montis Neapoli Comparuerunt. Roma: Vitale Mascardi, 1661.
First edition. Small octavo (6 1/2 x 4 1/16 inches; 164 x 103 mm). [viii], 103, [1, blank] pp., one fold-out plate. Roman and italic type. Woodcut initials, head- tailpieces.
Nineteenth century full vellum, spine lettered in manuscript. Slight burn mark affecting 1/4 x 1/2 inch of top blank margin of last three leaves of text and rear endleaves (not affecting any text). Later endpapers with original marbled endpapers bound in. An excellent copy of a very rare book. Housed in a fleece-lined half black morocco clamshell case.
"During 1661 a further work was published by Kircher which brought a refreshingly rational approach to a problem worrying the people of Naples. Mysterious crosses had been appearing on clothing and all manner of fabrics. In this Diatribe de prodigiosis crucibus Kircher proved that the suspected indication of heavenly wrath was little more than the presence in the air around Vesuvius-dominated Naples of minute specks of volcanic ash, settling on the texture of woven cloth." (John Fletcher. A study of the life and works of Athanasius Kircher, p. 51).
One of the rarest of all works in first edition by Kircher and near impossible to find in the marketplace, Diatribe de Prodigiosis Crucibus "attempts to explain the uncanny appearance of crosses on clothing and other objects immediately after an eruption of Vesuvius in 1660. He begins by discussing the history of similar appearances and the nature of miracles in general. God, he says, works by natural means, and miracles can therefore be explained rationally...Nevertheless, he argues, the crosses are a portent from God warning the people to repent. This approach is an excellent illustration of Kircher's position between the two worlds of the seventeenth century, the scientific and the orthodox" (Merrill).
Kircher: Merrill 16. Brunet III, 67. Graesse IV, 21. Sommervogel IV, 1059.18. Clendening 9.12.
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Details
- Bookseller
- David Brass Rare Books, Inc.
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 03235
- Title
- Diatribe de prodigiosi Crucibus
- Author
- KIRCHER, Athanasius
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- Roma: Vitale Mascardi, 1661
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
Terms of Sale
David Brass Rare Books, Inc.
We will extend to you a 48-hour approval period on all items that are purchased sight unseen. If you are not completely satisfied with the item simply contact us within 48 hours after receipt, and then return it in the same condition you received it for a full refund, less freight charges, or any related costs including credit card transactions, taxes, and duties levied, especially when returning from other countries.
About the Seller
David Brass Rare Books, Inc.
Biblio member since 2007
Calabasas, California
About David Brass Rare Books, Inc.
David Brass Rare Books, Inc. specializes in buying and selling only the finest examples of English, American and European Literature, Children\\\'s Books, Color-Plate Books, Illustrated Books, Early Printed Books, Private Press Books, Fine Bindings, Original Artwork, Manuscripts, High Spot Modern First Editions, Rare Books and High Spots.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Plate
- Full page illustration or photograph. Plates are printed separately from the text of the book, and bound in at production. I.e.,...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Vellum
- Vellum is a sheet of specialty prepared skin of lamb, calf, or goat kid used for binding a book or for printing and writing. ...
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
- Leaves
- Very generally, "leaves" refers to the pages of a book, as in the common phrase, "loose-leaf pages." A leaf is a single sheet...
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