Vesalius, Andreas.

first edition in German, broadsheets (465 x 345mm.), 23 leaves, gothic type, magnificent woodcut title-page depicting Vesalius performing a human dissection, large woodcut portrait of the author, 7 very large figural woodcuts of the skeletal, muscular, vascular and nervous systems, 3 unsigned sheets (folded, the second duplicated) of large figural woodcuts with smaller woodcut anatomical details intended to be cut out and superimposed on the larger figures, 2 very large figural woodcuts of Adam and Eve, later vellum-backed boards by E. Schroth, Basel, some browning and dampstaining, fol.A torn across with old tape repair, a few marginal holes, 2 of the unsigned sheets with wear and repair at head and foot, one cropped at head with slight loss, occasional slight cropping elsewhere, fol.O repaired without loss



bound with 5 related broadsheets, comprising:

Anathomia oder abconterfettung eynes Mans [Weibs] leib, wie er inwendig gestaltet ist. Strassburg: Jacob Frölich, 1544, two rare hand-coloured fugitive anatomical sheets, broadsheets (544 x 311mm. and 535 x 311mm.), folded, each sheet with central woodcut illustration with 6 movable flaps mounted over the thoracic and abdominal regions revealing successive layers of anatomical structures, both sheets with explanatory text in German and smaller woodcuts of accessory figures, [Carlino, A., Paper Bodies, 20; Wellcome I 293], male with repair to knee with slight loss, marginal repair slightly affecting text, female with without stomach, lungs and spleen



[Coiter, Volcher. Externarum et internarum principalium humani corporis. Nuremberg: T. Gerlatzeni, 1573], 2 folding engraved broadsheet plates from this work (only), browned



Zwirle, Daniel. Seltzame wunderbarliche abcontrafactur etlicher Würme die getriben sind worden von einem Burger zu Zürych durch...Thomas Gybson auß Engelland Burger und Artzet yetzund zu Straßburg. Strassburg, c. mid-sixteenth century, broadsheet (576 x 366mm.), large woodcut illustration, folded, written by a public notary at Strassburg, attesting to the existence of a number of prodigiously long worms removed from a certain Johann Schröter of Zurich with the aid of the English doctor Thomas Gybson, tears repaired, strengthened at margins

Johann Jakob Bischoff (1841-92), Director of Basel Gynaecological Hospital 1869-1886, bookplate

Choulant-Frank, p.184; Cushing VI.B.-3

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."

Very rare German edition of the Epitome, rarer than the first Latin edition of June 1543, with only 9 recorded copies and no copies recorded at auction since 1970. This copy considerably enhanced by the inclusion of five additional related broadsheets.

Designed to be used alongside his revolutionary De humani corporis fabrica libri septem, and an extremely skilful condensation of the immense amount of detail contained in it, the Epitome was described by Vesalius as "a foot-path beside the highway of the larger book, and ... an index of what is set forth in it". Almost all of the woodblocks were prepared specially for it and are some six centimetres taller than those used in the Fabrica to provide as much detail as possible and make them easier to follow. Vesalius also included two plates of various anatomical figures which were to be cut out and pasted upon human figures elsewhere in the book. Interestingly, the Epitome reverses the order of the anatomical discussion of the Fabrica, moving from the musculature to the skeletal system.

Both the plates and the arrangement of plates and textual material in the German edition conform with the Latin edition. However, the use of gothic type, which takes up more running space than roman, made a number of changes necessary: the copious marginal Greek synonyms were omitted to save space while extra pages were needed for the German text of the lettering and legends, here printed opposite each figure. As this provided more space than was needed, some extra woodcuts from the Fabrica not incorporated into the Latin edition were included. As Cushing states, the German edition "must have presented a considerably more difficult task for the compositor even than the Latin issue which... was highly complicated and confusing in itself" (p.114).

"The illustrations in this German edition of the Epitome, which is even rarer than the Latin, are equal in beauty" (Choulant-Frank).

The two fugitive anatomical sheets are extremely rare: we have traced only two other copies.