Wightman (William Persehouse Delisle), 1899-1983

Two volumes (23.5 cm), I: xv (1), 327 (1) pp., 8 plates. II: xix (1), 293 (1) pp., 8 plates. Uniform publisher’s red cloth, dust jackets. - The second volume is a well-annotated catalogue of 759 sixteenth-century books relating to the sciences in the Library of the University of Aberdeen, arranged alphabetically by author. A remarkable proportion contain notes of 16th- and 17th-century owners, notably Duncan Liddell (1561-1613), who had taught mathematics and then medicine at the University of Helmstedt, and owned a fine collection of books by Paracelsus. “[Wightman] has read prefaces and dedicatory epistles carefully and culled a great deal of useful information which gives meaning and interest to many a book which would pass as a dull tract in any catalogue (from a review by F.N.L. Poynter, in The Book Collector, Spring 1964, pp.80-83). ¶ Dust jackets worn, significant losses (vol. 2). Pencil inscription on half-title of volume I: “Purch. from Zeitlin & Ver Brugge 7/23/63. $15”. Ink stamps on front pastedown in each volume: Sotheby Parke Bernet Reference Library MP 1206 (stamp in volume 2: MP 1207).