Lot 45: FERGUSON, James (1710-76). Astronomy explained upon Sir Isaac Newton's Principles . London: printed for, and sold by the Author, 1757. 4° (249 x 205mm). Folding engraved frontispiece and 13 folding plates (frontispiece creased and detached,

FERGUSON, James (1710-76). Astronomy explained upon Sir Isaac Newton's Principles. London: printed for, and sold by the Author, 1757. 4° (249 x 205mm). Folding engraved frontispiece and 13 folding plates (frontispiece creased and detached, offsetting from plates, title lightly soiled, lightly spotted throughout). Contemporary calf (worn, covers detached). Provenance: British Astronomical Association (library stamps on title). Second edition. Wallis 75.002.

SMALL, Robert. An Account of the Astronomical Discoveries of Kepler. London: J. Mawman, 1804. 8° (226 x 139mm). Half title, 11 engraved plates after Lowry (plates lightly browned and with mainly marginal waterstaining, ca. first third of text lightly waterstained, light spotting). Contemporary half roan, circular gilt armorial of the House of Commons Library on sides (spine and front hinge crudely repaired, worn). FIRST EDITION. Provenance: House of Commons (bookplate, gilt armorial and stamp on bookplate) - British Astronomical Association stamps on pastedown, free-endpaper and title).

HUMBOLDT, Alexander von (1769-1859). Recueil d'observations astronomiques, d'opérations trigonométriques et des measures barométriques. Paris: F. Schoell, 1810. 2 volumes (333 x 250mm). Half titles, 2 engraved plates (light marginal waterstaining mainly at beginning and end of vol.I, clean marginal tear in 1.2 in vol.II, some leaves spotted in vol.II). Contemporary half calf, gilt circular armorial of the House of Commons Library on sides (rebacked, scuffed). Provenance: House of Commons Library (armorial on sides, bookplate and stamp on bookplate) -- British Astronomical Association (library stamps on pastedowns, free-endpapers and titles).

With 20 other works in 22 volumes on astronomy, including a second edition of John Brinkley, the first astronomer royal of Ireland, Elements of Astronomy (Dublin & London, 1819, plates), John Keill's An Introduction to the True Astronomy (London, 1760, fifth edition, 28 folding engraved plates), Andrew Maxwell's Plurality of the Worlds: or Letters, Notes, & Memoranda, Philosophical and Critical (London, 1820, second edition), J.F.W. Herschel's Outlines of Astronomy (London, 1851, fourth edition, spine detached), and Amédée Guillemin Le Ciel (Paris, 1877, fifth edition). (26)

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