A fine set in uniform contemporary bindings

LEEUWENHOEK, Anton van.

OPERA OMNIA. 6 parts bound in 4 volumes.

Leiden, Delft: Haak, Langerak, Beman, 1722.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #003313

Vol. I. Opera Omnia, seu Arcana naturae, ope exactissimorum microscopiorum detecta, experimentis variis comprobata, Epistolis, ad varios illustres Viros, ut et ad integram, quae Londini floret, sapientem societatem, cujus membrum est, datis, comprehensa & quatuor tomis distincta. Editio novissima, prioribus emendatior, cum indicibus cuique tomo accomodatis. Leiden: Joh. Arnold Langerak, 1722. [2], 3-8, [6], 1-64, 1-260, 449, [23] pp. Engraved frontispiece, letterpress title in red and black, 11 engraved plates (5 folding), numerous engraved illustrations in text (one full page). Signatures: *-2*⁴ A-H⁴ 2A-3I⁴ 3K² 3L-3N⁴. Somewhat browned throughout, 8 pages foxed. 3 plates of Continuatio Epistolarum misbound in this vol. to pp. 29, 77 and 123. [Bound with]: Continuatio Epistolarum, Datarum Ad longe Celeberriman Regiam Societatem Londinensem. Leiden: Joh. Du Vivie, Th. Haak & Joh. Arn. Langerack, 1715. [8], 1-124 pp. and 10 engraved plates (2 folding). Title with large woodcut device. Little browned. 3 plates of this part misbound in first part of this volume. Vol. II. Arcana naturae detecta, Editio novissima, auctior & correctior. Leiden: Joh. Arnold. Langerak, 1722. [16], 515, [23] pp., engraved frontispiece, letterpress title with woodcut device, 26 engraved plates (14 folding), numerous engraved illustrations in text. Bound without final blank 3Y2. Signatures: *⁴ (-*4) 2*⁴ 3*² (-3*2) A-3X⁴ 3Y² (-3Y2). Text little evenly browned, occasional minor foxing. 3 plates of vol. III Continuatio arcanorum misbound in this vol. to pp. 7, 25 and 70. Vol. III. Continuatio arcanorum naturae detectorum. Leiden: Joh. Arnold. Langerak, 1722. [10], 192, [8] pp., frontispiece portrait of the author, title with woodcut device, 7 engraved plates (1 folding). Signatures: *⁶ (-*6) A-2B⁴. Bound without blank *6. Bottom edges untrimmed. 3 plates (to pag. 123, 150, 204) misbound in vol. II. [Bound with]: Epistolae ad Societatem Regiam Anglicam, et alios illustres viros seu Continuatio mirandorum Arcanorum naturae detectorum, quadraginta epistolis contentorum, quae ex Belgica in Latinam linguam translatae sunt... Leiden: Joh. Arnold. Langerak, 1719. [16], 429, [11] pp., title with engraved device, 25 engraved plates (3 folding). Light uneven browning throught, occasional minor foxing. Vol. IV. Epistolae physiologicae super compluribus naturae arcanis; Ubi variorum Animalium atque Plantarum fabrica, conformatio, proprietates atque Operationes, novis & hactenus inobservatis experimentis illustrantur & oculis exhibentur; item peculiares & hactenus incognitate rerum quarumdam qualitates explicantur. Delft: Adrianum Beman, 1719. [24], 446, [26] pp. Engraved frontispiece, title with woodcut printer's device, 31 engraved plates (11 folding, 3 small-sized). Signatures: *-3*⁴ A-3N⁴. Text and plates crisp and clean with only very little browning. 4to (203 x 150 mm). Uniform contemporary full calf, each spine with 5 raised bands richly gilt in compartments and with gilt-lettered morocco labels (partly renewed), red-dyed edges (boards and extremities rubbed, joints and corners repaired). Provenance: H. M. Gilbert, Ye Olde Boke Shoppe Southhampton (sticker to front pastedowns). A fine set, textually complete and with all the 110 engraved plates present. -----

Dobell, A. v Leeuwenhoek and his "Little Animals", p.396 (Dobell 29); Norman 1323 (vol. IV); Waller 10889; Wellcome III, p.477 First collected edition in Latin of the works of one of the earliest and most expert microscopists. Leeuwenhoek's writings were originally published letter by letter in Leiden and Delft from 1684 to 1689; sets of the complete works first appeared in 1719 and were composed of sheets of those separate issues, bound together and fitted with title pages so that hardly any two sets are exactly alike. The present set matches the one described by Dobell as the most complete. The only difference is that part II of vol. II of Dobell's set is bound as part I of vol. III in our set. Vol. I: Dobell 23(a) (part I) and 24b (part II), with letters 43, 42, 38; 28-31, 34-36, 46, 47, 44, 45, 48-52 and 53-60. Vol. II: Dobell 25c, with letters 32-33, 37, 39, 40, 41, 61-92 Vol. III: Dobell 26a (part I) and 27 (part II), with letters 93-107 and 108-146. Vol. IV: Dobell 28, with letters I-XLVI.

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