DARWIN, Charles Das Variiren der Thiere und Pflanzen im Zustande der Domestication... Aus dem Englischen übersetzt von J. Victor Carus. Stuttgart, E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagshandlung, 1868
2 vols bound in 3, 8vo (215 x 137 mm), pp viii 530; viii 639, with numerous wood-engraved illustrations in text; a few minor stains, a very good copy bound in contemporary German quarter pebble cloth and marbled boards, with ex libris of Hermann Müller in first volume and his blindstamp in the other two. £11,500
First German edition, presentation copy inscribed in Darwin's hand 'From the Author', to the German botanist Hermann Müller (1829-1883), whose work provided important evidence for Darwin's theory of evolution. This is one of the few presentation copies of Darwin's work inscribed by him (as opposed to the publisher's clerks) and the only presentation copy of one of his works in translation that I have come across. The recipient was a botanist at Lippstadt who made a special study of the adaptations between flowers and insects which facilitated fertilisation. In 1872 Darwin sent him a manuscript 'On the flight paths of male humble bees', which Müller had translated by E. Krause. Müller was the author of Die Befruchtung der Blumen durch Insekten, Leipzig 1873, which was translated at Darwin's instigation by D' A.W. Thompson and published as The fertilisation of flowers in 1883, with a preface by Darwin (Freeman 1432). The Calendar of Correspondence lists 36 entries of letters between Darwin and Müller or letters by Darwin in which Müller features.
Freeman 914
£11500
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