Astrolabes of the World Based upon the Series of Instruments in the Lewis Evans Collection in the Old Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, with Notes on Astrolabes in the Collections of the British Museum, Science Museum, Sir J. Findlay, Mr. S. V. Hoffman, The Mensing Collection, and in Other Public and Private Collections
Oxford: At the University Press 1932. First Edition. Vol 1: xvii, [1 blank], [2], iii, [1 blank], 304 [2] pages plus LXVIII plates. Vol 2: viii, [305]-609 pages plus plates. 9 1/4 x 11 3/4 inches. Original tan cloth with gilt embossed decoration of instrument on front cover. Volumes sound, noting outer hinge paper is starting in Volume 1, and is cracked in Volume 2 showing the webbing. Spines sun darkened, corners bumped. Generally bright and clean internally, noting occasional foxing (mostly to first and last few pages). Near Fine. Cloth. [23873]
"Robert William Theodore Gunther (23 August 1869 – 9 March 1940) was a historian of science, zoologist, and founder of the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford." John Farquhar Fulton (the previous owner) was also a Historian of Science, and President of the History of Science Society from 1947-50. (wikipedia) Vol 1 has a review from the journal Nature tipped in (June 10, 1933, p 819) signed in print with initials JKF, noting various errors in the book and wishing more research had been done before publication. Folded page laid in with a few manuscript notations (probably the reviewer's notes given the similarities). Previous owner bookplate John Farquhar Fulton (Historian of Science) on pastedown in each volume. We suspect that "JKF"in the review was a thinly disguised attempt to avoid using Fulton's initials - the review although very detailed doesn't recognize the text's strengths(beyond binding and photography) but rather resorts to scholarly attempts to discredit the author.
Even given the review, the text is still a standard reference in the field, essential for astrolabe collectors and institutional collections, covering a prodigious amount of material. Only 250 sets were produced. Illustrations in this first edition set are superior to the 1976 single volume reprint done by Holland Press. From Nature review: "The Oxford University Press has produced for Dr. Gunther two sumptuous volumes. The binding is elegant, the paper is good, the print, except in the facsimile of Morley's description of a planispheric astrolabe, is clear, and the numerous photographic plates are exceedingly beautiful; these number no less than 153 in addition to 217 figures...".
Present in the Printed Catalogues of the Library of the Royal Astronomical Society (Luther, Martino:2006)
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