“REGARDED AS THE BEST OF TYNDALL’S BOOKS”: TYNDALL’S HEAT, IN HANDSOME PRIZE BINDING

TYNDALL, John. Heat. A Mode of Motion. London: Longmans, Green, 1894. Small octavo, contemporary full burgundy morocco, elaborately gilt-decorated spine, raised bands, gilt arms to both boards, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. $450.

Later edition of Tyndall’s acclaimed study of heat, illustrated with folding frontispiece and numerous in-text figures and diagrams, in handsome Winchester College, London prize binding.

An 1853 lecture “On the Influence of Material Aggregation upon the Manifestations of Force” made Tyndall, “hitherto known only among physicists… famous beyond the limits of scientific society. In May 1853 he was unanimously chosen as professor of natural philosophy in the Royal Institution. The appointment had the special charm of making him the colleague of [Michael] Faraday. Seldom have two men worked together so harmoniously as did Faraday and Tyndall during the years that followed… By the publication of his lectures and essays he aimed especially at rendering intelligible to all, in non-technical language, the dominant scientific ideas of the century. His work has borne abundant fruit in inciting others to take up the great interests which possessed so powerful an attraction for himself. In ‘Heat as a Mode of Motion,’ which has been regarded as the best of Tyndall’s books, that difficult subject was for the first time presented in a popular form” (DNB). First published 1863. Illustrated with folding frontispiece and numerous in-text figures and diagrams. The handsome morocco-gilt prize binding bears the coat of arms of Winchester College, London, founded (in 1382; opened 1394) by William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, keeper of the privy seal and chancellor of England.

Small crease to folding frontispiece. A fine copy, handsomely bound.