Rzaczynski, Gabriel | First edition of the first comprehensive survey of the natural history of Poland, the Schӧnborn-Buchheim copy

Rzaczynski, Gabriel

Historia naturalis curiosa regni Poloniae, magni ducatus Lituaniae, annexarumq[ue] provinciarum, in tractatus XX divisa. Sandomir: Typis Collegii Soc. Jesu., 1721

4to (191 x 145 mm). Woodcut coat of arms on title verso, ornamental head-, tailpieces and initials, includes index; occasional spotting and stains, minor browning, a few burn holes with repairs, creasing to approximately the last fifth of gatherings. Contemporary speckled calf, covers gilt with Schӧnborn coat of arms, spine in six compartments, second with red calf gilt-lettered label, others with repeat motif in gilt, edges sprinkled red; head of spine worm-holed, scuffs to lower cover, extremities rubbed with loss to head of spine, manuscript paper label to upper cover.

First edition of the first comprehensive survey of the natural history of Poland.

The Schӧnborn-Buchheim copy.

Rzaczynski was a Jesuit and member of the noble Polish family. In this work, he explored fossils, minerals, and geology as well as the natural history of rivers, flowers, and astronomical phenomena in Poland and the Baltic states.

REFERENCE

Schuh 4234

PROVENANCE

The Schӧnborn-Buchheim Library, representing the Austrian branch of the noble family of the Holy Roman Empire, descended from Franz Philipp Joseph, Graf von Schönborn-Buchheim (gilt supralibros)