We are selling the Istitutiones Chirurgicae. Venetian edition from 1749 in Latin, complete in two volumes with folded copperplate plates

Code: 1684. We are selling two splendid eighteenth-century volumes, direct testimony of surgical practice and European medical culture of the eighteenth century, they are now available to collectors, specialized libraries and enthusiasts of the history of medicine.

This is the complete Institutiones Chirurgicae by D. Laurentii Heisteri, a Venetian edition from 1749, consisting of two perfectly preserved original volumes. These volumes represent one of the most comprehensive and authoritative introductions to surgery of the time, written in Latin and intended as a reference text for students and professionals.

Each volume opens with a richly engraved title page, introducing the thought and figure of Heister, one of the most influential surgeons of the eighteenth century. The text is clearly structured, comprehensive, and punctuated by progressive explorations: fundamental concepts are addressed, procedures are analyzed, instruments and techniques are illustrated, and sections dedicated to practical applications in the most complex cases follow.

What distinguishes this particular edition is the presence of numerous original intaglio plates, many of which are folded. They are detailed representations of the surgical instruments of the time, including orthopedic devices, instruments for extractions and invasive techniques, anatomical drawings, and traction machines. These plates, in addition to their extraordinary iconographic value, represent a primary source for anyone wishing to understand how surgery was conceived before the advent of modern technology.

The volumes are bound in contemporary leather with first-rate marbled paper boards , a cover that retains an intact historical elegance more than two centuries after printing. The leather displays the natural patina of time, with a soft and authentic surface. The spine grain is clearly legible, and the laid paper of the pages is surprisingly intact: the texture is solid, the text clear, the engravings well-defined, with no significant tears or signs of serious deterioration.

Despite their age, these two volumes are in excellent condition , making them particularly rare on the market. The page margins show small signs of use and age, but these do not compromise the usability or historical value of the works. Indeed, the authenticity of the antique papers and their consistency with the typographical characteristics of the 18th century further enhance their authenticity and value.

This edition of the Institutiones Chirurgicae is not just an ancient book: it is a piece of medical history, a tangible document of the development of surgical techniques , teaching and scientific culture in an era in which surgery was moving from an empirical practice to a systematic discipline.

Those who purchase these volumes do not simply purchase two books: they acquire a firsthand account of the roots of modern surgery, perfectly readable, easily annotated, and aesthetically pleasing. A work that enhances any bibliographic collection and preserves, within its pages, the secrets and insights of a rapidly evolving discipline.