[Tryon, Thomas (1634-1703)]; Philotheus Physiologus (pseudonym)

The Good Houswife [Huswife, Hous-Wife, Housewife] Made a Doctor, or, Health's choice and sure friend: being a plain way of nature's own prescribing to prevent [and] cure most diseases incident to men, women, and children, by diet and kitchin-physick only. Being an appendix to the book entituled, The way to health, &c. or a further demonstration of the philosophy therein contained. With some remarks on the practice of physick and chymistry. By Philotheos Physiologius, the author of The way to health, long life and happiness. The country-man's companion, &c.

London: Printed and sold by Andrew Sowle, in the Holloway-Lane, near Shoreditch, [circa 1685-88?].

Octavo (14.5 x 9.5cm.), [12], 96, 91-232, [6] pages; collation: A6, B-Q8, R2 (I3 signed I2). Sheet A/R should have had R1 and R2 as A7 and A8. It was wrongly imposed so that A5r and A6v were perfected by pages of R and vice versa. The error was corrected by pasting leaves from half another copy of the sheet over the erroneous pages. Sheet I was similarly mis-imposed, but instead of using parts of a complete sheet, a half-forme was printed on one side only and pasted over I5v, 6r, 7v, 8r. Text and register are continuous despite pagination error. AAS records indicates their copy has pagination and collation the same as this one. ESTC cites this pagination and offers a variant (2d issue?) with pagination: [12], 97, 92-232, [6] pages (i.e. H1r is numbered 97 and H1v is numbered 92). Table of contents. Publisher’s advertisement [6 pages] at rear, for two other titles by Tryon. Caption title (page 1) Every good house-wife made a doctor, &c. Publication date from Notaker and Wing. ~ FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Thomas Tyron made himself a fortune in the self-help business. He was a self-made man with rural roots as a shepherd (he apparently sold two sheep to pay for his move to London), and spent time in London in a hat factory. A follower of the spiritual ideas of Jacob Boehme and a Pythagorean (vegetarian), he is credited with converting Benjamin Franklin to the diet. ~ Pages closely trimmed, occasionally affecting (but not eliminating) page numbers; signature numbering not affected. Small wormholes (outside top corner signature B, and bottom signature E). Some paper restoration to title page (not affecting text); hinge repair to final leaf. Rebound in quarter-calf with marbled boards. Spine gilt-titled. Early ownership signature, “E - Bradford”, to head of table of contents (page [9]); bookplate of the Craig Collection. Auction records for all of Tryon’s titles are few; the only copy of this title at auction was in a group lot at the Shircliffe (London, 1954). Rare. [OCLC locates nine copies (AAS, BNF, Folger, Simon Fraser, NYAM, Schlesinger, JHU, Science Hist. Inst., Lamar Univ.); ESTC locates twelve copies (eight in US and four in UK); Cagle 1028; Notaker 570; Oxford 41; Wing T3180; Early English Books, 1641-1700 2158:24].

Price: $3,500.00