On Growth and Form, D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson, 1st edition signed copy (Cambridge University Press, 1917). Sir Robert Ludwig Mond provenance.
D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson (1860–1948) was a Scottish biologist, mathematician, and classics scholar best known for his groundbreaking work On Growth and Form (1917), in which he applied mathematical and physical principles to explain the shapes and structures of living organisms. Born in Edinburgh on May 2, 1860, he was educated at Edinburgh Academy, Cambridge, and the University of Edinburgh. He held academic posts in biology and natural history at University College Dundee and the University of St Andrews for over six decades. Thompson's interdisciplinary approach influenced not only biology but also fields such as architecture, art, and cybernetics. He died on June 21, 1948, leaving a legacy as a pioneer in mathematical biology and scientific thought.
On Growth and Form is seen as a landmark scientific work, in which Thompson applies mathematical and physical principles to biological form and development. Rather than focusing solely on natural selection, Thompson argues that physical forces—such as gravity, pressure, and surface tension—play a critical role in shaping the structures of living organisms. The book is famous for its elegant prose, interdisciplinary reach, and groundbreaking use of coordinate transformations to show relationships between biological forms.
It had a profound influence beyond biology, impacting fields such as architecture, mathematics, and even art. Thompson's ideas prefigured modern developmental biology and structural biology. The book remains a classic in the study of biomathematics and theoretical morphology.
Provenance: Bookplate of Robert Ludwig Mond to first pastedown. Sir Robert Ludwig Mond (1867–1938) was a British chemist, archaeologist, and industrialist renowned for his work in metal carbonyl chemistry and his significant contributions to archaeology and cultural philanthropy. He collaborated with his father Ludwig Mond in advancing industrial chemical processes, particularly in the purification of nickel. A passionate amateur archaeologist, he financed major excavations in Egypt, Palestine, and France, and donated extensive antiquities collections to institutions such as the British Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum. Mond was knighted in 1932 and supported numerous scientific and cultural organizations across Europe. He died in Paris on October 22, 1938.
On Growth and Form, by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson.
Published by Cambridge University Press, 1917 first edition. With pasted down signature of D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson to the title page. A rather scarce first edition in itself, made very special with this signature.
A good copy, a little let down by the covers. Bound in original Publisher's russet cloth with gilt titles to spine. Covers are worn and frayed to extremities, bumped, and with markings and damage to cloth. There is some give in the spine and front inner hinge is cracked. Armorial bookplate to first pastedown, along with old Foyles of London bookseller's sticker. Foxed spotting to endpapers.
Title page has Thompson's original handwritten signature pasted onto the page. A clear and crisp example of a rare signature.
The text block in itself is bright and clean throughout. This is a very usable copy. Well illustrated throughout.
Text in English.
xv + (1) + 793pp + 2pp Publisher's list.
Dimensions: approximately 226mm tall x 152mm wide x 48mm deep )approx.
Weight: approximately 1211g (unpacked).