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De humani corporis fabrica

  • Purchased cheaply at auction as a second edition with extensive Latin "marginalia" by an unknown hand, this copy of "De humani corporis fabrica" was found to have been Andreas Vesalius' personal copy, and the thousands of autograph notes were his revisions for a third edition that never saw publication, offering rare insight into the mind of one of history's most important scientists and teachers.
    Collectibles
    "Bookfind of the century" sells for $2.23 million
    In 2007 a Canadian doctor paid $14,250 for a well-used second edition of "De humani corporis fabrica" (1555) covered in latin annotations by an unknown hand. The handwriting turned out to be that of the man who wrote the book - Andreas Vesalius - one of history's most important scientists and teachers.