Lorenzo Magalotti - Saggi di naturali esperienze fatte nell’accademia del Cimento - 1667

“Saggi di naturali esperienze fatte nell’accademia del Cimento sotto la protezione del Serenissimo Principe Leopoldo di Toscana e descritte dal Segretario di essa Accademia”, edizione del 1667. Work written by Lorenzo Magalotti, Secretary of Cardinal Leopoldo de 'Medici appointed in 1660 Secretary of the Accademia del Cimento. From this experience the Saggi di naturali esperienze were born, that is the reports of the activity carried out by the Accademia del Cimento from 1662 to 1667. (The Accademia del Cimento, founded in 1657 by Prince Leopoldo de 'Medici and Grand Duke Ferdinando II, was the first European society with exclusively scientific purposes. Following Galileo's lesson, the academicians experimented with phenomena and principles of natural philosophy, achieving significant results in the field of thermometry, barometry, vacuum studies and Saturn's observations) . The first edition of the book dates back to 1666, followed by various editions during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Parchment hardcover, spine with 4 raised bands, the pages have water stains, but nevertheless I would say it is well preserved, considering its age (see photos) . Composed of 306 pages with 75 plates, at the top is a full-page portrait of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando II, engraved by Franciscus Spierre Lotaringus, on an initial page there is a stamp attesting to the probable belonging of this volume to the Archdeacon of Reggio Emilia, Girolamo Tuschi. Size 34x24x3. 5 cm.