Fine Books & Manuscripts

Lana Terzi, Francesco. Magisterium naturae, et artis. Opus physico-mathematicum. Brescia: Giovanni Maria Ricciardi, 1684/1692 (volume III: Parma: Ippolito Rosation, 1692). 3 volume set in contemporary full vellum with two darkened vellum spine labels gilt decorated and lettered in compartments, speckled edges. Illustrated with woodcut vignette on title-pages, woodcut initials, head and tail pieces, 61 out-of-text copper engraved and hand drawn plates inserted in rear. [16], 526, 24 plates; [34], 512, [18], + 20 plates; 6 hand drawn in contemporary facsimile; [8], 571, 23, [1], + 13 plates; 2 hand drawn in contemporary facsimile. Folios. Corners gently bumped, general soiling to boards, 18th century bookplates of Thomae Vargas Macciucca, toning to endpapers, light worming to vol. II bastard title, otherwise a clean and tight set. Very scarce. Rarely seen with the third volume, this monumental encyclopedic work of the physical sciences and natural philosophies was written by the founder of aeronautical sciences and the first to publish a new alphabet for the blind.