Exceedingly rare complete set of Van Marum's amazing publication

MARUM, Martinus van.

Beschryving eener ongemeen groote electrizeer-machine, geplaatst in Teyler's Museum te Haarlem - Description d'une très grande machine électrique, placée dans le Muséum de Teyler à Haarlem, et des expériments faits par le moyen de cette machine / Eerste vervolg der proefneemingen, gedaan met Teyler's electrizeer-machine - Première continuation des expériences faites par le moyen de la machine électrique Teylerienne / Tweede vervolg der proefneemingen gedaan met Teyler's elektrizeer-machine - Seconde continuation des expériences, faites par le moyen de la machine électrique Teylerienne.

Haarlem: J. Enschedé en Zoonen and J. van Walré, 1785.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine. Item #004064

1785-1795. 4to (258 x 208 mm). Three parts and Supplement bound in one volume. Each volume with two title-pages in Dutch and French, parallel text in Dutch and French facing each other. Pagination: Vol. I: xxxi [1], 205 [1] pp., 6 engraved folding plates, numbered I to VI; bound without the directions to binder leaf. Vol. II: xix [1], 266; 11 [1] pp., 10 engraved plates (9 hand-colored) numbered I to X; appendix with one plate numbered I* and separate pagination bound at end; lacking blank leaf Ll2. Vol. III: xv [1], 391 [1] pp., 10 engraved plates on 9 sheets (6 folding), numbered I-VII and I-III (appendix), plates IV and VI on single sheet. In total 27 (of 27) engraved plates. Bound in contemporary half calf over marbled boards, spine ruled in gilt and with morocco lettering piece, yellow dyed edges (joints and corners repaired, extrwemities worn). Light age-toning only, occasional very minor spotting; two small holes in p. 47/48 of vol. III affecting two letters. Provenance: private collection of late M. Simons, Maastricht. An outstanding copy in fine contemporary binding.

EXCEEDINGLY RARE FIRST BOOK EDITIONS* OF ALL THREE PARTS AND SUPPLEMENT on the experiments with the "huge electrical machine", by M. van Marum (1750-1837), director of Teyler's Museum in Haarlem, from 1784 until the present day a museum and cabinet of curiosities. It was van Marum himself who commissioned John Cuthbertson to build the largest electric machine of the 18th century; the diameter of its glass disks being 185 cm. The director sought to study the functioning of the mysterious "electrical matter", experimenting with different materials and a mammoth battery of Leyden jars. His experiments led to important discoveries in physics and chemistry.
"Contains some of the earliest experiments of the action of electric discharge on gases and of the electric smelting of metals" (Wheeler).
The work has spectacular plates, some signed B. de Backer or C.H. Koning. Volume I contains the engraved plates numbered II to VI of the machine, its arrangement and electrostatic discharge. Volume II contains the amazing engraved full-page plates with added hand-colouring which show the effects of electrical discharge on metals (lead, tin, iron, copper, silver and gold).
*In parallel, this work was also published in Tyler's journal "Verhandelingen, uitgeeeven door Teyler's Tweede Genootschap" (no priority established).
Bibliography: Bierens de Haan 3070-3076; Landwehr CP 124; Honeyman 2166; Wheeler Gift I, 532 (1 & 2); Bern Dibner, Early Electrical Machines, pp. 43-47, with full illustration of the enormously large plate No. 1. - Visit our website to see more images!

Price: 22,000 €  *  convert currency