Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
37
An important early work on microscopy by a pupil of Kircher
BONANNI, FILIPPO
Observationes circa viventia, quae in rebus non viventibus reperiuntur. Cum Micrographia curiosa siue Rerum minutissimarum obseruationibus. Rome: Dominicus Antonius Herculis, 1691. First edition. Brown calf, likely of the period, all edges red. 8 3/8 x 6 1/4 inches (21.5 x 16 cm); xx, 342, [2] pp.; 106 pp.; 68 engraved plates after Buonanni, many of which are folding, and an engraved title page for the second part at 2Q2v (dated 1683). The joints cracked and holding on cords, wear to the spine and boards, brown stain to page viii, quite toned in places. The errata leaf is present, but the engraved allegorical frontispiece is lacking (or never present), and like the Norman copy, this copy has 68, not 69 plates. Bookplate of William McGrath, 1931 ink gift inscription on free endpaper.
An important early work on microscopy, written by a pupil of Athanasius Kircher. The Observationes circa viventia is a defense of the author's views on spontaneous generation against the criticisms of Francisco Redi. The second part of the work, the separately-paginated Micrographia curiosa, includes a discussion of microscopes and contains several plates of instruments and optics, as well as 36 exceedingly fine plates of insects and other objects observed through his instruments. Norman 374 (calling for 68 plates only as here but no errata); Garrison and Morton 264; Krivatsy 1935; Nissen ZBI, 752.
Sold for $1,536
Estimated at $1,000 - $1,500
Includes Buyer's Premium
BONANNI, FILIPPO
Observationes circa viventia, quae in rebus non viventibus reperiuntur. Cum Micrographia curiosa siue Rerum minutissimarum obseruationibus. Rome: Dominicus Antonius Herculis, 1691. First edition. Brown calf, likely of the period, all edges red. 8 3/8 x 6 1/4 inches (21.5 x 16 cm); xx, 342, [2] pp.; 106 pp.; 68 engraved plates after Buonanni, many of which are folding, and an engraved title page for the second part at 2Q2v (dated 1683). The joints cracked and holding on cords, wear to the spine and boards, brown stain to page viii, quite toned in places. The errata leaf is present, but the engraved allegorical frontispiece is lacking (or never present), and like the Norman copy, this copy has 68, not 69 plates. Bookplate of William McGrath, 1931 ink gift inscription on free endpaper.
An important early work on microscopy, written by a pupil of Athanasius Kircher. The Observationes circa viventia is a defense of the author's views on spontaneous generation against the criticisms of Francisco Redi. The second part of the work, the separately-paginated Micrographia curiosa, includes a discussion of microscopes and contains several plates of instruments and optics, as well as 36 exceedingly fine plates of insects and other objects observed through his instruments. Norman 374 (calling for 68 plates only as here but no errata); Garrison and Morton 264; Krivatsy 1935; Nissen ZBI, 752.
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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