Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

Philadelphia: Blanchard and Lea, 1859. First American edition. Tall 8vo. xxxii, 754 pp., including half-title. Illustrated with numerous in-text wood engravings. Original full brown sheep, black morocco spine label, stamped in gilt, boards and extremities rubbed, scuffed, and worn, tear along spine, rubbing and small losses at spine ends, small rectangular abrasion in upper front board from removed label; all edges trimmed; book label on front paste-down (being a printed photograph and signature of American paleontologist Joseph Leidy); ownership inscriptions of Montrose M. Magoffin and his son, Montrose B. Magoffin on front free endpaper ("Montrose B. Magoffin / University of Pa. / Philadelphia / Montrose B. Magoffin"), and dated by the elder Magoffin 1861-62; long closed tear along gutter of front free endpaper and half-title; gutter split at 274-275; wear and small losses in gutter 287/289; gutter repaired at center; scattered edge-wear; scattered spotting and soiling to text. Heirs of Hippocrates, 1915; Garrison & Morton 418, see note

First American edition of Henry Gray's seminal medical textbook. "The first edition of 1858 was found to have a good many errors, most of which were corrected in the 1859 edition. Gray's Anatomy still remains a standard textbook, and much of the original text and many of the superb anatomical illustrations have been retained throughout the thirty-four successive editions." (Heirs of Hippocrates).

Dr. Montrose Mitcheltree Magoffin (1845-1909) was a Mercer County, Pennsylvania physician and surgeon. Educated at the University of Pennsylvania under noted American paleontologist and anatomical instructor Joseph Leidy (1823-91), this was likely his textbook used during his studies. During the Civil War Magoffin served as Acting Assistant Surgeon in the Union Army, from July 15, 1863-October 20, 1863; afterwards serving in the Mower Hospital, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. His son, Dr. Montrose Bovard Magoffin (1885-1948), was, like his father, a physician in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.