Lot 264
  • 264

Darwin, Charles and Alfred Russel Wallace

Estimate
8,000 - 10,000 GBP
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Description

  • 'On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties; and of the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection'
  • Darwin, Charles and Alfred Russel Wallace
  • Printed Book
extracted from: Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology (Vol. 3, No. 9, 1858, pp.45-62)

8vo, Linnean Society issue, modern brown morocco ruled in blind and lettered in gilt on spine, numerous blank leaves bound in at end, some light offsetting to edges of first page

Provenance

David M. Lank, hieroglyphic bookplate

Literature

Freeman 346 [?] (and 1699); Garrison Morton 219; PMM 344a; Norman 591

Condition

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

THE JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT OF DARWIN AND WALLACE'S THEORY OF EVOLUTION BY NATURAL SELECTION.

As described by Freeman, "there are five different forms in which the original edition can be found, but they are all from the same setting of type". In accordance with the normal publishing customs of the Linnean Society, this number of the Journal was initially issued as the Zoology part alone in pink wrappers [Freeman 347] or alongside the Botany papers in blue wrappers to those subscribers who took both parts [Freeman 346]. It was then included in the annual volume of the Journal published later using reserved stock, once again as Zoology alone [Freeman 351] or with the Botany part [Freeman 350]. Since this example is bound without wrappers or any title page, it is impossible to establish exactly which issue of the Journal the sheets were extracted from.

The fifth form is the author's offprint [Freeman 348], which has "From the Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society for August 1858" added to p.45.