Ferber, Johann Jakob | Four eighteenth-century works in two volumes

Ferber, Johann Jakob

Four eighteenth-century works in two volumes (three bound in a contemporary sammelband) on the author's geological travels through Italy, being:

Ferber, Johann Jakob. Briefe aus Wälschland über natürliche merkwürdigkeiten dieses landes an den herausgeber derselben ignatz edlen von born ... wissenschaften. Prag: W.

Gerle, 1773. 8vo (194 x 113 mm). Engraved title-page vignette; library stamp to title, several hand-written notes, some minor browning and staining, worm hole on page 407. Early black calf and marbled paper-covered boards; rubbed. First edition. REFERENCES: Ferchl, 152; Hoover 296; Poggendorff 1: 733; Ward & Carozzi 793

Ferber, Johann Jakob. Briefe aus Wälschland über natürliche merkwürdigkeiten dieses landes an den herausgeber derselben ignatz eden von born ... wissenschaften. Prag: W. Gerle, 1773. Bound first in a contemporary sammelband of 3 works, all by the same author, 8vo (201 x 113 mm). Engraved title-page vignette; moderate browning throughout. — [Bound second]: Beyträge zu der mineral-geschichte von böhmen. Berlin: Christian Friedrich Himburg, 1774. Engraved title-page vignette, 2 engraved folding plates. — [Bound third]: Beschreibung des quecksilber-bergwerks zu idria in mittel-cräyn. Berlin: Christian Friedrich Himburg, 1774. Engraved title-page vignette, 3 engraved folding plates. Half contemporary brown calf and marbled paper-covered boards, edges stained red; some rubbing to extremities, restoration to spine.

Briefe aus Wälschland, Ferber's first work, is an account of his geological travels through Italy. A peripatetic traveller, Ferber "wrote interesting series of letters relating his impressions and observations during journeys in nearly all European countries. His description of the neighbourhood of Naples, and still more his account of the ejected rocks of Vesuvius, are among the finest scientific writings of the eighteenth century"

(Zittel 41).

(Sold as a group—not subject to return.)

PROVENANCE:

Single Work: Deutschmeisterische Bibliothek, Eulenburg (stamp to title). Sammelband: Bibliotheca Honkeniana (bookplate to front pastedown) — Arnim Neuensundschen Bibliothek (bookplate to lower pastedown). Together: Joseph A. Freilich (booklabel to front pastedowns; Sotheby's New York, 11 January 2001, lot 184)