Porta, Giovanni Battista della | Phytognomonica, first edition, first issue

Porta, Giovanni Battista della 

Phytognomonica. Naples: Horatio Salviani, 1588

Folio (302 x 205 mm). Title within woodcut border, portrait of the author on verso, historiated woodcut initials, woodcut head and tailpieces, woodcuts of plants and animals throughout; some light scattered and primarily marginal foxing, a few stray stains, some dampstaining, marginal worming affecting three gatherings, one or two closed marginal tears, pages 300 and 301 mispaginated, without the additional signatures 2A-2C4 containing the index found in some copies. Full 17th-century Italian morocco, covers with gold-tooled border and central gilt medallion, spine in six compartments, second gilt-lettered, others with repeat motif in gilt, edges speckled; edges lightly rubbed.

First edition, first issue.

Porta’s Phytognomonica further developed his theory of the correspondence between the external shape of a plant and its internal medicinal properties, known as his doctrine of signatures, which was “more akin to sympathetic magic than to science” (Norman). 

REFERENCES

Adams P1938; Norman 1724

PROVENANCE

Haskell F. Norman (bookplate to upper pastedown; Christie’s New York, 18 March 1998, lot 161)