Grew, Nehemiah | First edition of the first work of comparative anatomy

Grew, Nehemiah

Musaeum Regalis Societatis, or a catalogue description of the natural and artificial rarities belonging to the Royal Society and preserved at Gresham College… whereunto is subjoyned the comparative anatomy of stomachs and guts. London: W. Rawlins for the author, 1681

2 parts in one volume, folio (315 x 190 mm). Engraved frontispiece of Sir Daniel Colwall, founder of the Royal Society, 31 engraved plates, one of which folding, ornamental initials; lightly toned and creased, a few stray stains, some plates bound out of order, small tear to margin of table 10, tiny hole to F2 affecting 2 words, some manuscript notes and lines, marginal repair to Q4, Ff2 and Ff3 loose but holding. Full contemporary brown sheep, center panels defined by double fillets and corner fleurons in blind, spine with 5 raised bands, paper spine label to second with printed title, edges sprinkled red; rebacked, wear to both covers and extremities, spine with vertical splits, text block just splitting, corners bumped with loss, lower cover nearly detached.

First edition, a second copy.

Credited with introducing the term “comparative anatomy,” Grew’s appendix provided the first comparative study of a system of organs—the stomach—across various species, illustrated in several of the plates (Norman). The illustrated catalog of objects in the Royal Society museum was compiled during Grew’s tenure as Secretary of the Royal Society and lists descriptions of “rarities” encountered and collected throughout the Society’s travels (Garrison-Morton).

REFERENCES

Garrison-Morton 297; Nissen ZBI 1714; Norman 945

PROVENANCE

Christie’s New York, 16 December 1998, lot 34