Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
90
The first English book on the anatomy of the horse
SNAPE, ANDREW
The Anatomy of an Horse, Containing an Exact and Full Description of the Frame, Situation and Connexion of all his Parts (with their Actions and Uses) to which is added an Appendix, containing Two Discourses: The one, of the Generation of Animals; and the Other, of the Motion of the Chyle, and the Circulation of the Bloud. London: M. Flesher for the author, 1683. First edition. Period speckled calf, rebacked, all edges marbled. 14 1/4 x 8 3/4 inches (36 x 22 cm); [xii], 238, 46, [6] pp., with the engraved frontispiece portrait of the author by and after R. White and 49 fine plates, mostly of equine anatomy. The covers rather rubbed, neatly rebacked as noted, new endpapers, small rust-hole to "Ann. Dom" on the title with loss of the second "n," occasional minor toning and spotting but overall a clean copy with wide margins. Lacking initial blank.
This is the first English equine anatomy, and a very handsome work, dedicated to Charles II by Snape, who (from the dedicatory epistle) belonged to a family that had served as farriers to the crown for two centuries. Huth p. 26; Podeschi 31; Wing S-4382.
Sold for $4,160
Estimated at $2,000 - $3,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
SNAPE, ANDREW
The Anatomy of an Horse, Containing an Exact and Full Description of the Frame, Situation and Connexion of all his Parts (with their Actions and Uses) to which is added an Appendix, containing Two Discourses: The one, of the Generation of Animals; and the Other, of the Motion of the Chyle, and the Circulation of the Bloud. London: M. Flesher for the author, 1683. First edition. Period speckled calf, rebacked, all edges marbled. 14 1/4 x 8 3/4 inches (36 x 22 cm); [xii], 238, 46, [6] pp., with the engraved frontispiece portrait of the author by and after R. White and 49 fine plates, mostly of equine anatomy. The covers rather rubbed, neatly rebacked as noted, new endpapers, small rust-hole to "Ann. Dom" on the title with loss of the second "n," occasional minor toning and spotting but overall a clean copy with wide margins. Lacking initial blank.
This is the first English equine anatomy, and a very handsome work, dedicated to Charles II by Snape, who (from the dedicatory epistle) belonged to a family that had served as farriers to the crown for two centuries. Huth p. 26; Podeschi 31; Wing S-4382.
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.
