Fine Books and Manuscripts

[Medicine and Science] Bartisch, Georg (1535–1606). [Ophthalmodouleia] Augen-Dienst: oder kurtz und deutlich verfasster Bericht von allen und jeden in- und ausserlichen Mangeln, Schaden, Gebrechen und Zufallen der Augen… Sulzbach: Abraham Lichtenthaler for Georg Scheurer, 1686. Second edition. Contemporary full pigskin decoratively stamped and ruled in blind with sunbursts and rosettes, front board with central stamping of previous owner initials “HK” (possibly a student) and the date “1690”, hand-titled spine, original metal clasp (lacking the other), all edges dyed red. Engraved frontispiece, engraved additional title-page, 25 engraved plates (including large folding intended to cut up as flaps for overlays is intact in this copy (lacking second folding plate); light worming), one full-page woodcut illustration. 4to (203mm x 158mm). Boards soiled as seen with age, contemporary engraved bookplate of previous owner “HK” affixed to engraved title-page, copious manuscript notations to title-page verso and terminal blanks indicating that HW was perhaps a student. A relatively clean and tight copy. The last edition of the first systematic work on eye diseases and ophthalmic surgery and one of the earliest works to be published in the vernacular rather than the traditional Greek or Latin (Heirs of Hippocrates). Georg Bartisch is considered to be the father of modern ophthalmology.