De humani corporis fabrica libri septem by VESALIUS, Andreas - 1568

Fourth Edition and Third Folio Edition VESALIUS, Andreas. De humani corporis fabrica libri septem. Venice: Franciscus Francisci and Johann Criegher, 1568. Fourth edition, third folio edition. Folio (12 3/4 x 8 3/4 inches; 325 x 220 mm). [12], 510, [45, table], [3, blank]. With twenty full-page engraved woodcut illustrations which are reduced from those of the blocks cut for the first edition (Basel 1543). "The copying was done from the Oporin edition of 1555 and includes eight additions made in 1555. The Basel woodcuts are attributed to Jan Stephan van Calcar, a pupil of Titian. Franceschi states in his dedication to Antonio Montecatini that Giovanni Chrieger cut these Venice copies" (Mortimer). And with numerous other woodcuts in the text. Leaf Dd5 recto (page 321) contains figures to be cut out and superimposed on to leaf Dd3 verso (page 318). In this copy the figures remain intact and not cut out. Full contemporary vellum, rebacked. Two corners renewed. Vellum is a bit soiled and rubbed. Some minor worming to pastedowns. Previous owner's book plate (Norwich) on front pastedown. Early signatures on title-page of Horation de Noccis of Castello Horca, and Dr. Bartolomeo Marzo. Early ink signature of Dr. John H. Brinton (gift inscription from Brinton Coxe dated July 9/1891), and stamp of John Brinton on title-page. Ward Brinton (dated 1908) on front free endpaper. Stamp of Oswald Weigel on front pastedown. Overall a very good copy. Chemised and housed in a quarter calf slipcase. "Fine American medical provenance: John Hill Brinton (1832-1907) was a prominent American surgeon from Philadelphia and friend of painter Thomas Eakins. He succeeded Dr. Samuel D. Gross (who was featured in Thomas Eakins' The Gross Clinic), in the chair of surgery at Jefferson College, and also served as the chairman of the M¸tter Museum Committee of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. He also founded the Philadelphia Pathological Society, and served as the first curator of the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, D.C." (Christie's NY 12/7/12) ìThroughout this encyclopedic work on the structure and workings of the human body, Vesalius provided a fuller and more detailed description of human anatomy than any of his predecessors, correcting errors in the traditional anatomical teachings of Galen (which had been obtained from primate rather than human dissections), and arguing that knowledge of human anatomy was to be obtained only from human sources. Even more revolutionary than his criticism of Galen and other medieval authorities was Vesaliusís assertion that the dissection of cadavers must be performed by the physician himself...This ëhands-oní principle remained Vesaliusís most lasting contribution to the teaching of anatomyî (Norman Library). ìGalen was not merely improved upon: he was superseded; and the history of anatomy is divided into two periods, pre-Vesalian and post-Vesalianî (Printing and the Mind of Man). Adams V606. Choulant/Frank, pp.182. Cushing, Vesalius, VI.A.-4. Osler 569. NLM/Durling 4580. Printing and the Mind of Man 71 (first edition). Waller 9902. HBS 66126. $18,500