[Rarebooks] FS: 1817 & 1826 Neri on Glass- Middle Hill Press (Thomas Phillipps)

Tue Apr 24 19:39:59 EDT 2007

>From our new BOOKS ON GLASS catalog
<http://www.joslinhall.com/Catalog_299.htm>

  Two interesting early 19th century
  editions of a classic glass study-

[Neri, Antonio] "NERI'S ART OF GLASS; TRANSLATED BY C.M."

[Middle Hill Press] Typis Medio-Montanis, F. Crees: 1826.

"Having regard to the influence of this book on future writers on the
subject, especially upon those who sought to make glass by Venetian
methods in England and elsewhere, it may without doubt be given the
premier place as the most important work that has ever appeared on the
preparation of glass" (Dillon). We know little of Antonio Neri
(1576-1614), except that he was a Florentine priest and chemist who broke
tradition by publishing the first printed book solely devoted to the art
of the glassmaker. These arts were trade secrets, and you didn't fool
around with trade secrets. The Venetians (for instance) guarded their own
glassmaking formulas and techniques so jealously that they had announced a
death penalty for any glassmaker who traveled abroad and shared them.

In his "L'Arte Vetraria", first published in 1612, Neri documented and
described the formulas for glass derived from his own long association
with the glassworks in Florence and Antwerp; Ferguson notes that he also
worked at the Murano glasshouses. Neri began in Florence under the
patronage of Antonio de Medici, to whom he formally dedicates this book in
the usual florid style of the day. Neri later moved to Pisa and Antwerp,
before returning to Florence around 1611. Neri's book was translated into
English (1662), Latin (1668), German (1678), and Spanish (ca.1778). The
book also became the basis for a number of later works.

The present book represents a new edition of Christopher Merret’s 1662
translation of Neri’s work, which had been the first English translation.
The text as issued here includes letters from Merret to Robert Boyle and
the “Ingenuous Reader”, and a letter from Neri to Don Antonio Medici,
dated January 6, 1611.

The publisher, Sir Thomas Phillipps, became famous for amassing the
largest collection of books and manuscripts in private hands in England,
an assemblage it later took 100 years of auctions to disperse. He set up
his Middle Hill Press to reprint important English works of particular
interest, of which obviously he judged this one such. Although there is no
limitation stated internally, Phillipps bibliographers guess that the
edition was limited to 100 copies, of which this probably represents an
unsold and unbound copy in the original blue paper covers. OCLC locates 4
copies. An uncommon and intriguing edition of this classic and important
work. [Duncan 9299].

Softcover. 8.5”x13”, title page, viii + 33 + 1 pages; a set of loose,
unbound sheets contained in a period dark blue paper folder. A little wear
at the edges, small stab holes in the left margin, else very nice, neat
and clean. [30858] $850.00

 - - -

Neri, Antonio "L'ARTE VETRARIA DISTINTA IN LIBRI SETTE..."

Milano; Giovanni Silvestri: 1817.

Issued as part of the 'Biblioteca scelta d'OpereItaliane' series, and with
the original orange paper covers with the seris title imprinted on the
front cover and Neri's title imprinted on the spine. OCLC lists just 6
examples of this Milan 1817 edition.

Softcover. 4"x6.5", xxiv + 279 + [i] pages. Covers soiled and somewhat
worn, spine with large chip taking out the top third, but it is very
pleasing that these fragile paper covers have survived at all; tips
thumbed, some light internal spotting and soil. Despite the flaws, a very
pleasing copy in its original state. [05318] $375.00

See our entire BOOKS ON GLASS catalog-
<http://www.joslinhall.com/Catalog_299.htm>

 - - -

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