BOWLES, William.
Introduction à l'histoire naturelle et à la géographie physique de l' Espagne; traduit de l'original espagnol de Guillaume Bowles, par le vicomte de Flavigny.
Paris, L. Cellot & Jombert, 1776. 8vo. Contemporary marbled calf, gold-tooled spine XII, 516 pp.
€ 1,500
Very rare first edition of the French translation of a work on the natural history and geography of Spain and Spanish America by William Bowles. A large part is devoted to mining and the geological resources of Spain and its colonies. Bowles (1705-1780) was born in Cork, England, but travelled to Spain and was appointed superintendent of the Spanish mines. Bowles' main work Introduction... is considered valuable as it is the first work of its kind.
Binding slightly rubbed. Good copy. Brunet I, col. 1990 ''Ouvrage estimé''; VI, p. 69; not in Borba Moraes; Sabin.
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