Kircher, Athanasius ATHANASII KIRCHERI E SOCIETATE IESU HISTORIA EUSTACHIO-MARIANA QUA ADMIRANDA D. EUSTACHIJ, SOCIORUMQUE VITA EX VARIJS AUTHORIBUS COLLECTA; LOCUS IN QUO EIDEM IN MONTE VULTURELLO CHRISTUS INTER CORNUA CERUI APPARUIT, NOUITER DETECTUS; … Romae, 1665, ex typographia Varesij.

Illustrated 17th century book with the rare original edition of the Kircherian treatise on the accidental discovery in Mentorella, near Tivoli (RM), of an ancient sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary where the Christian conversion of St. Eustace the martyr is said to have taken place. Work accompanied by various engravings in the text, including full-page ones, and 7 folded plates depicting views, elevations and plans of the Marian sanctuary, the silver cross donated by Constantine, a bird's eye map that goes from the Castelli Romani to Subiaco, and more; with a calc. frontispiece depicting the miraculous conversion of St. Eustace in front of the deer sent by Christ, a vignette on the frontispiece with Mary holding the baby Jesus in her arms, woodcut headpieces and tailpieces with finely engraved initials. Light signs of aging such as scattered foxing, rare ink marks and small woodworm holes on the preliminary leaves.