JF Ptak Science Books
"Geognostische Skizze von Südamerika. Mit erläuternden Bemerkungen des Herausgebers (Gilbert). (+) Notizen von seinen Reisen in der Kordillere der Anden und von seinen physikalischen Beobachtungen in Quito und Mexico."
Published in Halle, Rengerschen Buchhandlung, in the Annalen der Physik ("Annalen der Physik. Herausgegeben von Ludwig Wilhelm Gilbert") I/16, 1804, Band. 16, Viertes Stück. Humboldt's papers appear on pp. 394-449 and pp. 450-493. We offer the entire volume (of 507pp) with the original wrappers bound in for all four numbers (including rear wrappers), which is quite unusual for this journal.
Condition: Ex-libris Deutsche Akademie der Luftfahrtforschung, then Wright Patterson Field Library (USAF), then Library of Congress. Library markings: small gilt-stamped "Akademie der Luftfahrtforschung", page edges stamped "Wright Field LIbrary/Dayton, Ohio" on top and bottom. Contents quite nice. $650.00
This is one of the earliest scientific surveys of this region, and von Humboldt dedicated years of his life to investigating not only the geology and geography of South and Central America, but the historical and political aspects as well.
"Humboldt gave a major impetus to the study of the Americas...His geographical monographs on Cuba and Mexico represent the first treatments of geography in terms of science, politics, and economics."(DSB VI, p. 551).
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