Auction of defective copy of Culpeper's 'Semeiotica Uranica'

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I'm really quite surprised that this auction is attracting such strong bidding, not because I dispute in any way that any copy of a 17th century edition of Culpeper's 'Semeiotica Uranica, or the Astrological Judgement of Disease from the Decumbiture of the Sick' is rare - there is none unsold on any of the fixed-price used book networks at any price - but this particular copy is really not in good condition, and has still attracted two bidders to commit at least $275 to it each despite the many flaws, which include, by my observation:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0309838869

Large wormhole to A3 affecting text on reverse;
Wormhole to last page of main text affecting text on both sides; by the look of it, it may run several leaves deep;
All six leaves that should follow the main text missing;
Title page damaged with loss of text; restored only with blank paper;
Frontispiece portrait of Culpeper missing altogether.

Frankly, I think the best thing that can be said for this copy is that the main central part of the book is complete but for the losses to worming, and that the external rebinding is clean and attractive. But an attractive binding means next-to nothing compared with the condition and completeness of the paper within, when it comes to the value of antiquarian books, and personally I'd rather wait ten years and pay $750 for a basically complete copy (including the leaves after the main text) with no losses to worming than acquire a copy in this condition for over $275. Modern retyped reprints are commonplace, so the material is not rare, and the only reason for buying an original copy is as a collector's piece; but if the original is this defective, I think it is hardly worth including in any collection, and certainly not at the kinds of prices currently being bid.