Mechanica Hydraulico-Pneumatica, the very first work of the famous Caspar Schott.
Well-preserved first edition from 1657.
Title:
Mechanica Hydraulico-Pneumatica. Qua Praeterquam quod Aquei Elementi natura, proprietas, vis motrix,
atque occultus cum aere conflictus, a primis fundamentis demonstratur; omnis quoque generis Experimenta Hydraulico-pneumatica recluduntur;
& absoluta Machinarum aqua & aere animandarum ratio ac methodus praescribitur. Opus Bipartitum [...].
Together with:
Experimentum Novum Magdeburgicum, Quo vacuum aliqui stabilire, alij evertere conantur; Inventum primo Magdeburgi a Praenobili & Amplissimo Domino Ottone Gericke Urbis Illius Consule; Prefectum Vero, & novis additamentis auctum Herbipoli in Arce Ducali & Episcopali Mariae Virgini sacra. Experimentum A Fundamentis explicatur; variorum doctorum Virorum judicia de eo afferuntur; Vacuistarum & Aristotelicorum argumenta examinantur, & eruditis ulterius ventilanda proponuntur.
Author:
Schott, Caspar [Gaspar, Kaspar] (1608-1666)
(German mathematician, physicist and pedagogue. Member of the Jesuit order)
Place of Printing / Publisher / Year:
Würzburg / Frankfurt, H. Pigrin for J. G Schönwetters Erben, 1657
(VD17 39:119196M)
Format:
8° (8.6 in x 7 in)
Collation:
Three parts in one volume.
[13] leaves, 488 p., [8] leaves
Binding / Condition:
Beautiful original 17th century binding distinguishing itself through its simple elegance. The well-preserved vellum binding with five raised bands is provided with a hand-written title on the spine.
The binding is slightly rubbed and somewhat stained, but otherwise in a good and firm condition. The paper is a little darkened and marginally browned. Lacking the engraved frontispiece and the plates 30 to 33 from the Mechanica. A small piece of the lower margin of the title page has been cut out (deletion of a hand-written ex libris, no loss of text). Few of the folding engravings have tears, some have discreet hand-written notes. All in all a wonderfully preserved 17th century volume with a large number of beautiful and detailed engravings which are predominantly in very good condition.
Description, contents and further information:
This is the first edition of the first work by the renowned physicist and mathematician Caspar Schott. This impressively illustrated volume is a guide to the hydraulic and pneumatic instruments of Schott’s teacher, the famous polymath Athanasius Kircher. However, the Mechanica Hydraulico-Pneumatica became particularly famous for its description of Otto von Guericke’s legendary experiment (Experimentum Novum Magdeburgicum). Schott explains the development of the vacuum pumps and ultimately proves the possibility of creating an artificial vacuum.
The 42 full-page and partly folded copper plates are most impressive. In great detail these plates depict a great variety of instruments and machines as well as plates with image series beautifully illustrating some more complicated experiments. Among the instruments displayed are several depictions of fountains, automatic organs and other pneumatic musical instruments. Some of them are even provided with sheet music samples.
In addition to the scientific representations the volume also contains some captivating artistic interpretations. One picture for example shows a group of scientists in a great hall watching four small angels using a vacuum pump and other machinery.
Apart from these elaborately engraved plates the volume contains 78 beautiful woodcut illustrations of various sizes integrated in the text. While most of these illustrations also depict instruments and materials some also represent geometric drawings and mathematical formulas. The richly illustrated volume is furthermore decorated with a number of woodcut vignettes, initials and borders showing ornate figures or floral ornaments. Especially worth mentioning is a small woodcut on the first page showing the coat of arms of the then Archbishop of Mainz, Johann Philipp von Schönborn (1605-1673), to whom this first edition is dedicated.
Caspar Schott (1608-1666) was a 17th century mathematician and physicist who is not so much known for his own discoveries, but rather for his habit of gathering natural scientific findings and experiments. After attending the Jesuit college in Würzburg Schott decided to join the order. In 1631, however, he was forced to flee from the invading Swedish troops and moved to Palermo where he finished his studies and stayed for 20 more years teaching mathematics and philosophy at the local Jesuit school. Before moving back to his hometown, Würzburg, Schott went to Rome in order to assist the famous polymath Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680) with his experiments.
At the end of the Thirty Years’ War Schott went back to Germany where he became a teacher at the grammar school in Würzburg. It was not until late in his life that he decided to publish his writings. In the relatively short span of eight years this prolific scholar issued eleven books, among them the Mechanica Hydraulico-Pneumatica which was the first one he wrote.
This edition of the work had immense influence on 17th century natural sciences and the large number of beautiful engravings adds enormously to its cultural and scientific value. Its prominent position in the history of experimental science is particularly due to the first ever description of Otto von Guericke’s epoch-making vacuum experiment which, in the copy at hand, is complete and in very good condition.
Courtesy of Antiquarischer Lexikonhandel
