Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
13
The first systematic study of natural history by an Englishman
WOTTON, EDWARD
De differentiis animalium libri decem. Paris: Michel Vascosan, 1552 [colophon: 1551]. First (and sole) edition. Contemporary limp vellum, manuscript title on spine. 13 1/2 x 9 inches (34.5 x 23 cm); [12], 220 (with errors), [14] ff., the genuine final blank present; Roman type, italic shoulder notes and short passages in Greek. The binding with light wear, occasional spotting, a tall copy overall. Early note on the front free endpaper indicating that the book was the gift of a Prince (but with no clarification as to which); The Haskell F. Norman copy, with his bookplate laid-in.
This is the first systematic study of natural history by an Englishman. Wotton took his medical degree at Padua, and became a member and president of the College of Physicians in London. He died in 1555. The book is dedicated to King Edward VI, and it was very well received by Gessner, Haller, and other authorities in the field. It compiles excerpts from many classical sources "dealing with general anatomy and physiology of animals, man, vivaparous and oviparous quadrupeds, birds, fishes, insects, crustaceans, squids and mollusks" (Norman). Sold in The Haskell F. Norman Library of Science and Medicine, Part 1, March 18, 1998, lot 232. Garrison-Morton 281; McGill-Wood p. 637; Osler 4282; Raven, English Naturalists pp. 40-42 Wellcome 6777; Norman 2263.
Sold for $4,800
Estimated at $2,000 - $3,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
WOTTON, EDWARD
De differentiis animalium libri decem. Paris: Michel Vascosan, 1552 [colophon: 1551]. First (and sole) edition. Contemporary limp vellum, manuscript title on spine. 13 1/2 x 9 inches (34.5 x 23 cm); [12], 220 (with errors), [14] ff., the genuine final blank present; Roman type, italic shoulder notes and short passages in Greek. The binding with light wear, occasional spotting, a tall copy overall. Early note on the front free endpaper indicating that the book was the gift of a Prince (but with no clarification as to which); The Haskell F. Norman copy, with his bookplate laid-in.
This is the first systematic study of natural history by an Englishman. Wotton took his medical degree at Padua, and became a member and president of the College of Physicians in London. He died in 1555. The book is dedicated to King Edward VI, and it was very well received by Gessner, Haller, and other authorities in the field. It compiles excerpts from many classical sources "dealing with general anatomy and physiology of animals, man, vivaparous and oviparous quadrupeds, birds, fishes, insects, crustaceans, squids and mollusks" (Norman). Sold in The Haskell F. Norman Library of Science and Medicine, Part 1, March 18, 1998, lot 232. Garrison-Morton 281; McGill-Wood p. 637; Osler 4282; Raven, English Naturalists pp. 40-42 Wellcome 6777; Norman 2263.
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Apr 16, 2026
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Successful Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 Surpasses Expectations
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Thomas Jefferson Letter Commenting on Toussaint Louverture Achieves $32,000
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for Complimentary Auction Estimates of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 saw international competition drive strong results throughout the sale and a total that surpassed expectations.
Thomas Jefferson Letter on Toussaint Louverture
Highlighting the sale was a fascinating 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson as president to Maryland Governor John Francis Mercer that achieved a strong $32,000. The remarkable letter captures a rare, candid moment in which Jefferson assesses, with striking clarity, the arrest of Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, by French General Charles LeClerc, Napoleon’s brother-in-law. Jefferson perceptively warned that LeClerc’s actions would erode trust and likely spark further racial conflict—an insight that proved remarkably accurate. Beyond its sharp political foresight, the letter reflects the broader anxiety the Haitian Revolution provoked in the United States, which contributed to decades of diplomatic isolation of Haiti.
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Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
