Giphantia; Or, A View of What Passed in the World. What is Now Passing, and During the Present Century. 2 volumes complete.
By Tiphaigne de la Roche.
2 volume set with 132 pages & 126 pages with the often missing advert leaf at end of volume 2. title page on volume 1 is printed in red & black. ALSO with this set is a 6 page review from the "Gentleman's Magazine" of 1761 where the reviewer goes into great detail about the tale of a future with some praise. THIS SET has been Rebound in a SUPERB "SIGNED" Malkin presentation 18th century style MOTTLED calf binding with embossed optical geometric "Steam-Punk" design on the covers, both front and rear and also embossed "Steam-Punk" referenced cogs in the leather. Both in a compartmentalised slip case and a quarter leather marbled paper board box. The paper and title pages have some age toning and some not severe old water marks on several pages, but all still uncut and with the rare advert leaf at end of volume 2. The review of the book is also very rare. In Presentation unique binding and slip case. *See PHOTOGRAPHY: ESSAYS & IMAGES (1980) edited by Beaumont Newhall, page 13/14 "In 1760 the French writer Charles François Tiphaigne de la Roche wrote a novel that today would be considered science fiction. Titled Giphantie, an anagram of his name, it describes his imaginary travels. He was lifted into the air and transported half unconscious, to a beautiful garden in a strange land. There he met a Spirit who said, 'I am the Prefect of this island which is called Giphantie.' With the Prefect as guide, Tiphaigne explored the wonders of ?the island.? In Part I, The author prophecies the fixing of transient images of nature by the action of light. "Thou knowest that the rays of light, reflected from different bodies, make a picture and paint the bodies upon all polished surfaces, on the retina of the eye, for instance, on water, on glass. The elementary spirits have studied to fix these transient images: they have composed a most subtle matter, very viscous, and proper to harden and dry, by the help of which a picture is made in the twinkle of an eye. The mirror shows the objects exactly; but keeps none; our canvases show them with the same exactness, and retains them all. This impression of the images is made the first instant they are received on the canvas, which is immediately carried away into some dark place; an hour after, the subtle matter dries, and you have a picture so much the more the valuable, as it cannot be imitated by art nor damaged by time. This work is considered a cornerstone book in any collection of photographic literature, and photography's first fictional work. Roosens and Salu No. 10421
Published by: Robert Horsefield., Ludgate St, London., 1761
Vendor: Colophon Books (UK)
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By Tiphaigne de la Roche.
2 volume set with 132 pages & 126 pages with the often missing advert leaf at end of volume 2. title page on volume 1 is printed in red & black. ALSO with this set is a 6 page review from the "Gentleman's Magazine" of 1761 where the reviewer goes into great detail about the tale of a future with some praise. THIS SET has been Rebound in a SUPERB "SIGNED" Malkin presentation 18th century style MOTTLED calf binding with embossed optical geometric "Steam-Punk" design on the covers, both front and rear and also embossed "Steam-Punk" referenced cogs in the leather. Both in a compartmentalised slip case and a quarter leather marbled paper board box. The paper and title pages have some age toning and some not severe old water marks on several pages, but all still uncut and with the rare advert leaf at end of volume 2. The review of the book is also very rare. In Presentation unique binding and slip case. *See PHOTOGRAPHY: ESSAYS & IMAGES (1980) edited by Beaumont Newhall, page 13/14 "In 1760 the French writer Charles François Tiphaigne de la Roche wrote a novel that today would be considered science fiction. Titled Giphantie, an anagram of his name, it describes his imaginary travels. He was lifted into the air and transported half unconscious, to a beautiful garden in a strange land. There he met a Spirit who said, 'I am the Prefect of this island which is called Giphantie.' With the Prefect as guide, Tiphaigne explored the wonders of ?the island.? In Part I, The author prophecies the fixing of transient images of nature by the action of light. "Thou knowest that the rays of light, reflected from different bodies, make a picture and paint the bodies upon all polished surfaces, on the retina of the eye, for instance, on water, on glass. The elementary spirits have studied to fix these transient images: they have composed a most subtle matter, very viscous, and proper to harden and dry, by the help of which a picture is made in the twinkle of an eye. The mirror shows the objects exactly; but keeps none; our canvases show them with the same exactness, and retains them all. This impression of the images is made the first instant they are received on the canvas, which is immediately carried away into some dark place; an hour after, the subtle matter dries, and you have a picture so much the more the valuable, as it cannot be imitated by art nor damaged by time. This work is considered a cornerstone book in any collection of photographic literature, and photography's first fictional work. Roosens and Salu No. 10421
Published by: Robert Horsefield., Ludgate St, London., 1761
Vendor: Colophon Books (UK)
