The Harrison D. Horblit Copy

Faraday, Michael

Experimental Researches in Electricity ... in Three Volumes [ HARRISON D. HORBLIT COPY ]

London: Richard and John Edward Taylor (Vols I and II) / Richard Taylor and William Francis (Vol III) [ 1839, 1844, 1855 ]. First Edition. Three Volumes. Vol I: viii, 574, [2-ads] pgs + 8 folding plates plus 4 leaves of advertisements dated May 13, 1839. Vol II: viii, 302 pages + 5 plates (two folding). Vol III: [4], v-viii, 588 pages plus 4 plates (two folding) plus 4 leaves of advertisements dated Aug 1853. 8vo (Binding measures 5 7/8 x 9 3/16 inches. Text block is 5 1/2 x 8 7/8 inches). Publisher's dark green cloth. Simple blind-stamped rules separating the spine into five compartments. Yellow endpapers. Each volume with "FARADAY'S | EXPERIMENTAL | RESEARCHES | IN | ELECTRICITY" in gilt in second compartment plus "[no label]", "VOL. II", "VOL III" respectively in gilt in third compartment. Vol I with blindstamped centered decoration of vine-leaf and flower figures on front and back covers. Vol II has a similar but not identical blindstamped decoration of vine-leaf and flower figures, with a second grouping nested inside the first. Vol III has a blind-stamped nested panel design. Vol II and III with half titles as called for.

Vol I sound with touch of gluing on the front hinge. Harrison D. Horblit's name tag affixed to front pastedown. Previous owner name (H.R. Gilson 1840) inked on front flyleaf. Vol II sound with hinge paper starting. Vol III front hinge tender with webbing showing. Paper label on front pastedown "Sold by NOBLE, Boston". All three volumes with some shelfwear, corner bumping and wear to head/tail spine panels. Volumes I and III spines browned. Occasional foxing throughout. A sound set.

PROVENANCE: Harrison D. Horblit's copy, sold at Sotheby's Monday 11, November 1974. Cloth. [27547]


"The collection encompasses the entire range of Faraday's remarkable achievement, including his discovery of electromagnetic induction, his demonstration of the identity of all forms of electricity, his first general theory of electricity as a function if interparticulate strain, and the last series of researches on magnetism, containing the germ of modern field theory, in which Faraday rejected his earlier model of the transmission of magnetic theory in favor of one locating the manifestation of magnetic energy in the field surrounding the magnet." (Norman 762) "Faraday's magnum opus...provided a basis for further advances by Maxwell." (Horblit 29) "Faraday was both one of the greatest physicists of the nineteenth century and one of the finest experimenters of all time. His principal contributions were made in advancing our knowledge of the nature and potentialities of electricity." (PMM)

The first collected volumes have long been desirable. This example, the Horblit Copy, is an excellent association for the discriminating collector. Horblit collected science in the early days, wrote the Preface to the Grolier Club's "100 Books Famous in Science" and worked with other famous science collectors and historians (among them Bern Dibner, Herbert M. Evans, Robert B. Honeyman, Jr., Albert E. Lownes, I. Bernard Cohen, and David P. Wheatland) to put the Grolier Club exhibition together. Horblit lent some of his own collection to the exhibition.

Grolier/Horblit 100 Books Famous in Science, #29. Printing and the Mind of Men 308. The Library of Haskell F. Norman 762. (all referring to the first collected edition) Jeffreys #297

ITEM SOLD