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First edition, complete journal issue in original printed wrappers, of this important early work in photography, inscribed by Jean Dominique Cassini, known as Cassini IV, the last of the illustrious dynasty of astronomers connected with the Paris Observatory for 125 years. This is the only paper published in the Phil. Trans. by the great pioneer in photography, Robert Hunt (1807-87). Helmut Gernsheim noted Hunt's importance as the leading authority on photography in the first 25 years of its existence, the principal investigator of its chemical phenomena, its principal writer, and its first historian. Larry Schaaf similarly calls Hunt's dual role as participant and chronicler 'an unparalleled achievement'. Following Daguerre's development of the daguerreotype in 1839, Hunt took up photography with great zeal. Just two years later, in 1841, he published his 'Manual of Photography,' which was the first English treatise on the subject. Hunt also experimented generally on the action of light, and published 'Researches on Light' in 1844. He also developed the actinograph in 1845. Hunt "carried on numerous photographic and photochemical experiments and he was one of the founders of the London Photographic Society. These experiments with organic and inorganic light-sensitive substances, which, with characteristic unselfishness, he made public during the early forties of the last century, were extremely useful in the study of photochemistry, which was then in its infancy, and were of great service for years to those who came after him and used his researches for the basis of their studies" (Eder, History of Photography, 1945, p. 326). 4to, pp. xii, 225-620, [4], 14, with 23 plates (numbered VIII-XXX). Original printed wrappers, unopened (damp stain to lower outer corner of front wrapper). Old stamp on titles 'Archigymnasii Insulensis Cathol' (Catholic University of Lille), overstamped 'Annule'. Inscribed 'Le Comte de Cassini, Paris' on front wrapper. Jean Dominique Cassini (1748-1845) shared his name with his great grandfather, the founder of the Cassini dynasty. Cassini was born at the Paris Observatory, and in 1784 succeded his father, César-François Cassini de Thury, as director. In 1783 he sent a memoir to the Royal Society in which he proposed a trigonometric survey connecting the observatories of Paris and Greenwich for the purpose of better determining the latitude and longitude of the latter. His proposal was accepted, resulting in the Anglo-French Survey (1784-1790). The results of the survey were published in 1791. He visited England for the purposes of the work with Pierre Méchain and Adrien-Marie Legendre, and the three met William Herschel at Slough. He completed his father's map of France, which was published by the Academy of Sciences in 1793. It served as the basis for the 'Atlas National' (1791), showing France in departments. He was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1788. Large 4to, pp. [vi], 225-620, (numbered VIII-XXX)[4], 14, with 23 plates, unopened (Old stamp on titles 'Archigymnasii Insulensis Cathol' (Catholic University of Lille), overstamped 'Annule'). Original printed wrappers (soiled, front wrapper damp stained at fore-edge). Seller Inventory # ABE-1572799563342
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