EXPERIMENTA CIRCA EFFECTUM, etc. Experiences sur l'effet du conflict electrique sur l'aiguille animantee

Paris: Crochard, 1820. First Edition. Flexible paper boards. Near Fine. First Edition. 448 pages. Early temporary binders paper boards (light blue paper over very thin pasteboard), laid endpapers and stub. Evidence that the textblock was originally stab-stitched and then sewn when the binding was applied. Paper spine label with manuscript titling, and paper label and 2 chalked numbers on the spine. Annales de Chimie et de Physique, Tome XIV complete with half title, entire volume offered. Protected in a 1/4 leather over cloth professionally made clamshell case with gilt spine titling. Flexible paper boards. Contains Oersted's "EXPERIMENTA CIRCA EFFECTUM, etc. Experiences sur l'effet du conflict electrique sur l'aiguille animantee" on pages 417-420, a very important work that led to the Discovery of Electromagnetism and informed subsequent work done by Ampere, Arago, Maxwell and Faraday. Initially published in a rare Latin pamphlet (known to Bern Dibner in only a few copies), this important discovery was published "nearly simultaneously" after Oersted sent announcements in July 1820 to French, German and English publications (including the one offered here).

The article explains the first law of electromagnetism, which states that an electrical current can generate a magnetic field circular to the flow of the electric current. It is remarkable given all the experimentation with electricity done in the years before it's publication that this discovery wasn't noticed (or if it was, it's significance wasn't understood) by the many scientists working in the area. Oersted actually did a basic demonstration of the effect in a lecture in front of fairly accomplished scientists, who paid it little attention at the time. But after subsequent experimentation, Oersted was able to prove out his theory with simple and stronger apparatus and rushed it to publication. (variations of the Oersted apparatus are still used to demonstrate this effect in schools today). This French translation is one of several published in July 1820, primacy currently unknown. Some suggest this is the first French edition, but we have been unable to confirm this definitively.

It is remarkable that this volume still retains it's period binding - a binding style that for many years was supposed to be temporary. Rare thus, and much prized by collectors. See "Oersted and the Discovery of Electromagnetism" by Bern Dibner for a thorough historical treatment. Also PMM 282, Dibner 61, Horblit 3b. (all referring to the first edition in Latin).