150 years of Scientific Discovery in Books & Manuscripts

Charles Darwin, Autograph Manuscript Leaf from On the Origin of Species.
Estimate: £120,000-180,000.

A leaf of Darwin’s manuscript for one of the most important scientific works of all time. This passage is a key moment in Darwin’s development of his argument and concludes his chapter on hybridism: “Finally, then, the facts too briefly given in this chapter, do not seem to me opposed, but rather to support the view that there is no fundamental difference between Species & Varieties." This is one of only eleven leaves of the working manuscript to remain in private hands.

English Literature, History, Science, Children's Books and Illustrations
9-10 July 2018 | London

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Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, First edition, 1859.
Estimate: £60,000-80,000.

Described not only as “the most important biological book ever written” (Freeman), On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection was published in 1859 and was received with immediate international controversy and widespread debate. Although the reception was initially hostile, within ten years evolutionary biology was widely accepted among academic and scientific communities in some form. The present volume belonged to Philip Hamond and holds his bookplate. Philip was the brother of Darwin’s shipmate and friend on The Beagle, Lieutenant Richard Nicholas Hamond.

English Literature, History, Science, Children's Books and Illustrations
9-10 July 2018 | London

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Charles Lyell, Album of letters by philosophers, astronomers, mathematicians, geologists, Collection of c. 190 letters.
Estimate: £5,000-7,000.

This sale presents an exceptional selection of material directly from Kinnordy House (Scotland) including hundreds of letters by prominent nineteenth century figures. The current offering includes hundreds of letters by prominent nineteenth century figures to members of the Lyell and Horner families bound into a series of nine albums and inscribed copies of Sir Charles Lyell’s own books. This lot includes autograph letters by John Playfair, Charles Babbage, J. F. W. Herschel (discussing Babbage’s Difference Engine), and Adam Sedgewick. Pictured here is a manuscript note from Lyell on a “Fossil skill of the Engis cave near Leige” .

English Literature, History, Science, Children's Books and Illustrations
9-10 July 2018 | London

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Sir Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology, First edition, presentation copy, 1830-33.
Estimate: £3,000-5,000.

This is a superb pre-publication presentation copy of geologist’s greatest work , inscribed to his father-in-law – Whig reformer and geologist Leonard Horner.

English Literature, History, Science, Children's Books and Illustrations
9-10 July 2018 | London

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Four Palaeolithic hand Axes, Collected by Sir Charles Lyell.
Estimate: £4,000-6,000.

These four Palaeolithic hand axes were collected by Lyell while researching the Antiquity of man. Stone tools began to be excavated in St Acheul, near Amiens, in the 1830s. Lyell illustrated one of these axes in the current lot, which has a distinctive fluke-scar, in The Antiquity of Man (see lot 388 and illustration). It is now understood that Acheulean tools were knapped by Homo Erectus, and that European tools may be up to 500,000 years old.

English Literature, History, Science, Children's Books and Illustrations
9-10 July 2018 | London

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Charles Lyell, Large album of drawings, photograph and prints.
Estimate: £7,000-10,000.

This album records many of Lyell's major interests, with depictions of volcanic activity, especially in southern Italy, fossils, sights seen during his American tours, depictions of his native Scotland, multiple depictions of the Temple of Serapis which was used as the frontispiece for the Principles of Geology, and preparatory illustrations for his late geological work on Tenerife.

English Literature, History, Science, Children's Books and Illustrations
9-10 July 2018 | London

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Watson & Crick, "Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids. A Structure of Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid." , First edition, rare three-paper offprint issue, signed, 1953.
Estimate: £40,000-50,000.

The first edition of the identification of the double helix structure of DNA . One of the most important scientific discoveries of the twentieth century, this edition is signed by Watson, Crick, Wilkins and Gosling. Signed copies are incredibly rare with only three others signed by at least four of the authors appearing at auction since 1975.

English Literature, History, Science, Children's Books and Illustrations
9-10 July 2018 | London

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Two Nobel Prizes for Physics. The Nobel Medal awarded to Manne Siegbahn, 1925, together with the Nobel Medal awarded to his son Kai M. Siegbahn, 1981.
Estimate: £150,000-250,000.

A unique pair of Nobel Medals granted to Manne and Kai Siegbahn , two of the great experimental physicists of the twentieth century. Manne Siegbahn and his son Kai Siegbahn were both pioneers in spectroscopy, the study of the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation. Manne and Kai Siebahn are one of only four fathers and sons to be Physics Nobel Laureates and their work traces the trajectory of a key branch of modern science from confirmation of abstruse theories to applications with profound effects on our daily lives. No other such pair of Nobel Medals has ever appeared together at auction.

English Literature, History, Science, Children's Books and Illustrations
9-10 July 2018 | London

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