- 233
Darwin, Charles
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 GBP
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Description
- Darwin, Charles
- On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection. London: John Murray, 1859
- ink on paper
8vo, first edition, half-title, folding diagram, 32pp. publisher’s catalogue at end dated June 1859, original cloth by Edmonds and Remnants (label preserved, Freeman’s variant b), spine lettered in gilt, folding diagram with short split at fold just touching printed area, binding recased, corners, spine ends and other areas with repair and restoration, library label removed from upper cover, new endpapers and flyleaves, a few leaves opened roughly with loss to margins
Literature
Dibner 199; Freeman 373; Grolier/Horblit 23b; Grolier/Medicine 70b; Printing and the Mind of Man 344b
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."
"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
"...Many more individuals are born than can possibly survive…Individuals having any advantage, however slight, over others, would have the best chance of surviving and procreating their kind… Any variation in the least degree injurious would be rigidly destroyed. This preservation of favourable variations and the rejection of injurious variations, I call Natural Selection..." (Beginning of Chapter 4)
First edition of "the most important single book in science" (Dibner, Heralds of Science). Of the first edition of 1,250 copies, fifty-eight were distributed by Murray for review, promotion, and presentation, and Darwin reported that the balance was sold out on the first day of publication. Five further editions, each variously corrected and revised, appeared in Darwin's lifetime, as did eleven translations.