A Treatise on the Science of Muscular Action

London, England: The Curwen Press, for the Editions Medicina Rara Ltd. Facsimile Reprint. Hardcover. Fine. Folio - over 12 - 15" tall. If you don't normally purchase facsimile reprints, well, neither do I, but if you must, this is the one to purchase. Special Limited Edition facsimile reprint of the 1794 true First Edition, printed then for C. Dilly, and to no little acclaim. This edition is one of twenty-eight hundred such copies that were printed for the members of Editions Medicina Rara Ltd. at The Curwen Press, London. Only 300 of the 2800, however, were bound in full leather, and this copy is one of those, Copy #CCLXXXII, so says the Colophon. It, like the 299 others, was produced at the A.W. Lumsden Bindery, Loanhead, Midlothian, Scotland. Bound extremely handsomely in a short folio format, measuring 13" tall and 10" wide, in full blind-stamped burgundy leather. Housed in a Fine condition, brick-red paper-covered cardboard slipcase with just a touch of sunning along front edges. No date of publication listed, but circa 1970s. This exemplar's virtues include the fact that the plates for this printing were made from a copy of the 1794 original. The title page is followed by an "explanation" of the vignette, verso, then another full page with two black-and-white illustrations in cameo, all the lettering being in extremely flourished calligraphy. Two-page Dedication to Sir George Baker, Physician to His Majesty, then plentiful short blurbs of positive review, then a fulsome Table of Contents, then a lengthy essay. Most of the drawings are by "Kirk," and all but a few engravings are also by him, some being by "Holloway." Thomas Kirk (1765–1797) was a noted English artist, book illustrator, and engraver; his Wikipedia entry notes that he was a student Richard Cosway, enjoyed his first exhibition (of 25 works) at the Royal Academy in 1785, and drew also for "Angelica Kauffman, Richard Westall, and Sir Joshua Reynolds." He died extremely young (age 32) of "consumption" (tuberculosis) (Wikipedia). On the final day of March, 1794, the year of its original publication, the original publisher, Charles Dilly (1739-1807), released a one-page Prospectus that announced this present work, published in one volume in a Royal quarto format, and then priced at two guineas. The Prospectus read: "A physiological, theoretic and practical treatise on the important utility and salutary effects of the science of muscular action accompanied with plain and accurate descriptions of the muscles of the human body, in various and different points of view, distinctly shewing their respective motions as produced by means of a peculiar and well-adapted apparatus for restoring for restoring the power action and strength of the limbs, whether disable by gout, rheumatism, colds, paralytic causes, chronic affections, contractions, or sprains, or weakened by other accidents. The use of this apparatus will be found peculiarly beneficial for promoting the regular tone of muscles, and re-establishing the health of sedentary persons; and will prove useful for children of weak, rickety and protuberant joints. Confirmed by several well-authenticated cases. The whole illustrated by fifteen elegant copper-plates. By John Pugh, Anatomist. The representations of the muscles are drawn and engraved by Mr. Kirk, under the immediate directions of the author." And then follows publishing and printing details galore. The black-and-white illustrations are numbered in Roman numerals, are full-page, and with full-page (opposite) legend detailing each of the numbered parts of anatomy. xvi, [1], 2-106 pp. plus colophon.Member, I.O.B.A., C.B.A., and adherent to the highest ethical standards. Additional postage may be required for oversize or especially heavy volumes, and for sets.