FR EN
an open book with a drawing of a lizard on it
Premium Jeschke Jádi Auctions Berlin

1612 - Zoology – Herpetology – Ophiology
See original version (German)

Estimate €360 - €500
Sale commission
Description
Zoology – Herpetology – Ophiology Redi, Francesco Observations on vipers, written in a letter to Lorenzo Magalotti. With: A letter concerning certain objections raised against his Observations on vipers. Naples, printed by Giacomo Raillard, 1687. 5 leaves, 1 blank leaf, 240 pp. Contemporary binding (slightly rubbed and stained). Bencini, Camilla. “The Beginning of the Journey of Knowledge: Francesco Redi and the Observations on Vipers (1664).” In: Contemplare/abitare: Nature in Italian Literature. Proceedings of the 26th ADI Congress, Naples, 14–16 September 2023. Rome: ADI editore, 2025. – A Neapolitan collected edition of Redi’s scientific writings, containing a reprint of his *Osservazioni intorno alle vipere*, first published in 1664, which is fundamental to the history of experimental toxicology. This edition follows the author’s revised Florentine edition of 1686 and combines the treatise with Redis’s response to the objections raised against his viper experiments, as well as further experimental treatises. - A rare later edition of Francesco Redi’s seminal work on the study of snake venom. The Tuscan physician, naturalist and court scholar is regarded as one of the pioneers of experimental biology and toxicology. In his *Osservazioni*, first published in 1664, he challenged traditional notions regarding the toxic effects of vipers and systematically tested these through controlled experiments. Among other things, Redi demonstrated that the venom does not take effect merely through ingestion, but only exerts its harmful effect upon direct entry into the bloodstream or into injured tissue. Included: Francesco Redi nobilis Aretini, *Experimenta circa res diversas naturales, speciatim illas, quae ex Indiis adferuntur*. Translated from Italian into Latin. Amsterdam, published by Andrea Frisii, 1675. With 14 of 17 plates. First Latin edition of the Italian *Esperienze intorno a diverse cose naturali*, published in Florence in 1671. This volume makes Redi’s empirically grounded scientific research accessible to a European readership. Francesco Redi, a physician, court scholar to the Medici and one of the leading figures in 17th-century experimental natural science, deals here in particular with natural history observations and experiments on animals, poisons, snakes and natural specimens imported from India. – Somewhat browned in places. Rare. Zoology. – Herpetology. – Ophiology. – Neapolitan collected edition of Redi’s natural-scientific writings, including a reprint of his *Osservazioni intorno alle vipere*, first published in 1664 and fundamental to the history of experimental toxicology. This edition follows the Florentine edition of 1686, revised by the author, and combines the treatise with Redi’s reply to objections raised against his experiments on vipers, as well as with further experimental tracts. A rare later edition of Francesco Redi’s seminal work on the investigation of snake venom. The Tuscan physician, naturalist and court scholar is regarded as one of the pioneers of experimental biology and toxicology. In the *Osservazioni*, first published in 1664, he challenged traditional notions concerning the action of viper venom and tested them systematically through controlled experiments. Among other findings, Redi demonstrated that the venom is not effective when merely swallowed, but exerts its harmful effect only upon direct entry into the bloodstream or into injured tissue. With: Francesco Redi, Francisci Redi nobilis Aretini, *Experimenta circa res diversas naturales, speciatim illas, quae ex Indiis adferuntur*. Translated from Italian into Latin. Amsterdam, published by Andrea Frisii, 1675. With 14 of 17 plates. First Latin edition of the Italian *Esperienze intorno a diverse cose naturali*, published in Florence in 1671. The volume made Redi’s empirically based scientific investigations accessible to a European readership. Redi—physician, scholar at the Medici court, and one of the leading figures in seventeenth-century experimental natural science—deals here chiefly with natural-historical observations and experiments concerning animals, poisons, snakes, and natural specimens imported from the Indies. Somewhat browned in places. Rare.
See original version (German)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like