Science and Natural History

Dawkins, Richard

The Selfish Gene.

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1976.

First British edition of Dawkins’ classic work. Octavo, black cloth. Signed by Richard Dawkins and scientist Desmond Morris on the title page. Near fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket painting by Desmond Morris. Morris is most well-known for the writing the classic work The Naked Ape and The Human Zoo. Foreword byContinue reading "The Selfish Gene."

Weiner, Jonathan

The Beak of the Finch: The Story of Evolution in Our Time.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1993.

First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Octavo, original half cloth, cartographic endpapers. Lengthily inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “For John Rogers, With Best Wishes Jonathan Weiner ‘Darwin’s Finches will keep their covenant with Darwin’s islands, witnessed by a heap of stones.’ May 2016.” Also, includes a signed letter on theContinue reading "The Beak of the Finch: The Story of Evolution in Our Time."

Des Ballons Aérostatiques, de la maniere de les construire, de les faire elever [Of Balloons aerostatic, the way to build them, elevate them].

Lausanne : J.P. Heubach & Cie, 1784.

First edition of this work, translated as, Of Balloons Aerostatic, the Way to Build Them, Elevate Them. Octavo, bound in contemporary three quarters calf over marbled boards, gilt titles to the spine and gilt balloon tooling in 4 compartments, marbled endpapers. This work is often wrongly attributed to Faujas de Saint-Fond, as it reprints his “DiscoursContinue reading "Des Ballons Aérostatiques, de la maniere de les construire, de les faire elever [Of Balloons aerostatic, the way to build them, elevate them]."

Bolton, James

Harmonia Ruralis; or, An Essay Towards A Natural History of British Songbirds.

London : Printed For and Sold By the Author, 1794.

Rare first edition of Bolton’s magnificently illustrated work on British songbirds. First issue with the original plates 7 and 13 which differ in later issues. Quarto, two volumes bound into one in three quarters morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, illustrated with eighty copper-plates of life-size maleContinue reading "Harmonia Ruralis; or, An Essay Towards A Natural History of British Songbirds."

Menand, Louis

The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America.

New York : Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2001.

First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page to fellow Pulitzer Prize award winning author Edward O. Wilson, “For Edward with best wishes Louis Menand.” Wilson’s signature to the front free endpaper, near fine in a near dust jacket. Jacket designContinue reading "The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America."

Meadowcroft, William H. [Thomas A. Edison]

The Boy’s Life of Edison.

New York and London : Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1911.

First edition of Meadowcroft’s biography of Thomas Edison, written for children. Octavo, original cloth with paper label portrait of Edison to the front panel, illustrated with eight photographic portraits of Edison including tissue-guarded frontispiece. With Edison’s autobiographical notes. Boldly signed on the second free endpaper, “Thomas A. Edison.” In very good condition. First printings areContinue reading "The Boy’s Life of Edison."

Dyson, Freeman

Dreams of Earth and Sky.

New York : New York Review of Books, 2015.

First edition of this sequel to Dyson’s 2006 The Scientist as Rebel. Octavo, original boards. Signed by the author on the half-title page with the following line from this work, “We gain knowledge of our place in the universe not only from science but also from history, art and literature. Freeman Dyson.” Fine in a fine dustContinue reading "Dreams of Earth and Sky."

Reiser, Anton. [Albert Einstein]

Albert Einstein: A Biographical Portrait.

New York : Albert & Charles Boni, 1930.

First edition of this Einstein biography written by Rudolf Kayser, a German literary historian and husband to Albert Einstein’s stepdaughter Ilse under the pseudonym Anton Reiser. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece of Einstein. Signed and dated by Einstein on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “Albert Einstein New York 1930.” In near fineContinue reading "Albert Einstein: A Biographical Portrait."

Dyson, Freeman J

Infinite in All Directions: Gifford Lectures Given at Aberdeen, Scotland April–November 1985.

New York : Harper & Row, Publishers, 1988.

First edition of this classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Lengthily signed by the author on the half-title page with a quote from this work, “For John Rogers from Freeman Dyson We must be careful not to discourage our twelve year olds by making them waste the best years of their lives preparing for examinations seeContinue reading "Infinite in All Directions: Gifford Lectures Given at Aberdeen, Scotland April–November 1985."

Milnor, John

Annals of Mathematics Studies No. 61: Singular Points of Complex Hypersurfaces.

Princeton, New Jersey : Annals of Mathematics Studies Princeton University Press, 1968.

First edition of Milnor’s manuscript studying singular points of complex hypersurfaces. Octavo, original wrappers. Signed by the author on the title page. In fine condition. Uncommon signed by Milnor.

Kandel, Eric R

In Search Of Memory.

New York : W.W. Norton & Company, 2006.

First edition of the scientist’s autobiography which deals with the groundbreaking work on the biological process of memory, which earned him the Nobel Prize. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For John Life is a circle you come back to a lot of interests that youContinue reading "In Search Of Memory."

Dyson, Freeman

Imagined Worlds.

Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press, 1997.

First edition of this work by Freeman Dyson. Octavo, original half cloth. Lengthily signed by the author on the title page, “For ______ ______ Freeman Dyson, February 2010 This is the only one of my books that has pictures, but unfortunately the Harvard Press could not afford to print them in color.” Fine in aContinue reading "Imagined Worlds."

Brown, John J

The American Angler’s Guide.

New York : Burgess, Stringer & Co, 1845.

First edition of the first angling book written in America. Small octavo, original brown cloth, gilt titles and tooling to the spin and front panel. In very good condition. Period name to the front free end paper. A rare piece of American angling literature.

Einstein, Albert; Hermann Struck

Albert Einstein Signed Etching.

1923.

Etch bust of Albert Einstein done by well-known artist Hermann Struck. Signed by both Einstein and Struck, numbered 49/150. In fine condition. Double matted and framed, the entire piece measures 12.25 inches by 15 inches. An exceptional piece.

Loddiges, George. Plates by George Cook

The Botanical Cabinet Consisting of Coloured Delineations of Plants, from all Countries.

London : John & Arthur Arch; Hackney: Conrad Loddiges & Sons, et al, 1818–1833.

Rare first edition, large paper issue set of Loddiges’ renowned Botanical Cabinet with 2000 numbered hand-colored plates by George Cooke. Octavos, 20 volumes bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, red morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, all edges marbled.Continue reading "The Botanical Cabinet Consisting of Coloured Delineations of Plants, from all Countries."

Ebülgâzî Bahadir Han, Khan of Khorezm

A General History of the Turks, Moguls, and Tatars, Vulgarly called Tartars. Together With a Description of the Countries They Inhabit.

London : Printed for J. and J. Knapton, J. Darby, A. Bettesworth, et. al., 1729-1730.

Rare first edition in English of one of the earliest sources on the Turks, Moguls, and Tartars. Octavos, two volumes. Bound in full polished calf with red morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt tooling to the spines in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt turn-ins, all edges speckled red, engraved headpieces and tailpieces,Continue reading "A General History of the Turks, Moguls, and Tatars, Vulgarly called Tartars. Together With a Description of the Countries They Inhabit."

Aldrin, Buzz

Buzz Aldrin Signed Photograph.

1969.

Original color photograph of Buzz Aldrin, boldly inscribed by him. Double matted and framed. The entire piece measures 15.25 inches by 13.25 inches.

Armstrong, Neil

Neil Armstrong Signed Photograph.

.

Original color photograph of Neil Armstrong, boldly inscribed by him. Double matted and framed. The entire piece measures 15.25 inches by 13.25 inches.

Wilczek, Frank

The Lightness of Being: Mass, Ether, and the Unification of Forces.

New York : Basic Books, 2008.

First edition of this “thrilling read… a glimpse of physics at its quirkiest and most illuminating” (The Economist). Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by the author on the title page, “May all the forces be with you! Frank Wilczek.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Rodrigo Corral. Also, laid in is aContinue reading "The Lightness of Being: Mass, Ether, and the Unification of Forces."

Mitchell, S. Weir

Doctor and Patient.

Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott Company, 1888.

Rare first edition, presentation copy of the father of American neurology’s most popular work. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Mrs. Johnson with the author’s regards.” Weir has also noted “25 copies large paper No. 19.” In nearContinue reading "Doctor and Patient."

Darwin, Charles

The Formation Of Vegetable Mould, Through The Action of Worms, With Observations On Their Habits.

London : John Murray, 1883.

Ealry printing of Darwin’s final work, published shortly before his death. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. In near fine condition Bookplate to the pastedown. A sharp example of this work by the leading mind in evolutionary biology.

Popper, Karl and John C. Eccles

The Self and its Brain: An Argument for Interactionism.

Berlin, New York, London : Springer-Verlag, 1977.

First edition of Popper and Eccles’ groundbreaking work. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, warmly inscribed by Karl Popper in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “To Lionel, with love from Karl 3rd November 1977.” The recipient, British economist Lionel Charles Robbins, was a prominent member of the economics department at the LondonContinue reading "The Self and its Brain: An Argument for Interactionism."

Shackleton, Ernest; James Murray and George Marston

Antarctic Days. Sketches of the Homely Side of Polar Life by Two of Shackleton’s Men: Introduced by Sir Ernest Shackleton.

London : Andrew Melrose, 1913.

Limited edition de luxe, numbered 85 of 280 copies signed on the recto of the limitation leaf by E.H. Shackleton, James Murray and George Marston. Octavo, original blue cloth, gilt titles to the spine and front panel with a mounted color illustration, top edge gilt, 4 mounted color plates after watercolors by C. Day, 34Continue reading "Antarctic Days. Sketches of the Homely Side of Polar Life by Two of Shackleton’s Men: Introduced by Sir Ernest Shackleton."

Carpenter, M. Scott; Gordon L. Cooper; John H. Glenn; Virgil I. Grissom; Walter M. Schirra; Alan Shepard; Donald K. Slayton

We Seven. By the Astronauts Themselves.

New York : Simon and Schuster, 1962.

First edition of this first-hand account of the genesis of America’s manned space program. Octavo, original cloth, pictorial endpapers, illustrated. Signed on the half-title page by John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, Gordon Cooper, and comedian Bill Dana aka Jose Jimenez. Jiménez was a fictional character created and performed by comedian Bill Dana on TheContinue reading "We Seven. By the Astronauts Themselves."