Six folding engraved plates. lxviii, 260 pp.; vi, 290 pp.; xlviii, 263 pp. Three vols. 4to, cont. mottled calf (lower cover of Vol. II a little wormed), spines gilt, red morocco lettering pieces on spines. Paris: David, 1754-54-56.

First edition. “Devoted primarily to the motion of the moon (Volume II included a new set of lunar tables), it was written at least partially to guard d’Alembert's claims to originality against those of Clairaut. As was so often the case, d’Alembert's method was mathematically more sound, but Clairaut’s method was more easily used by astronomers.”–D.S.B., I, p. 114. More about Recherches sur Differens Points importans du Systême du Monde

Engraved frontis. [72] (incl. frontis.), 1048, [285] pp. Thick 8vo, cont. grey paste-paper boards (one corner a little jammed). Leipzig: Widow of B.C. Fritsch, [Preface dated 1747].

The very rare sale catalogue of the large and important library formed by one of the great collectors of 18th-century Germany. Rink (1670-1746), professor of law and history at the University of Altdorf, was one of the leading international lawyers of his time and an active writer in the areas of his specialties. He formed several outstanding collections, including one of medals (a catalogue of which was published in 1766), a natural history cabinet, and an... More about Bibliotheca Rinckiana, seu Supellex Librorum tam Impressorum, quam Mstorum, quos per Omnia...

One folding engraved plate (short tear with no loss of image). xxxii pp. Large 4to, attractive modern decorated paper over semi-stiff boards. Rome: “Typis Komarek,” 1744.

First edition and rare; this work on lunar eclipses marks the beginning of Boscovich’s most prolific period of mature scholarship. In the years 1742-44, Boscovich “turned his attention in astronomy to a comprehensive survey of the theoretical foundations and instrumental practice and resources of practical, observational astronomy, and in the years 1742 through 1744 he published a series of works that deal with these matters in a spirit of severioris critices leges.”–D.S.B., II, p. 328... More about Nova Methodus adhibendi Phasium Observationes in Eclipsibus lunaribus ad exercendam Geometriam,...

Woodcut vignette on title, two folding printed tables, & many woodcuts in the text. 2 p.l., 26 leaves. Small 4to, later vellum (title & final leaf somewhat soiled). London: F. Kyngston, 1634.

A late edition (1st ed.: 1556) of one of the four great English books on land surveying of the 16th century. Digges’s Tectonicon was by far the most successful and long-lived; there were at least twenty editions, the last published in 1692.

Digges (ca. 1515-59?), who attended University College, Oxford, wrote this work for “surveyors, ‘landmeters,’ joiners, carpenters, and masons. It taught the measurement of land, the calculation of quantities, and the use... More about A Booke named Tectonicon, Briefly shewing the exact measuring, and speedie reckoning all manner...

Title within woodcut border & woodcut on verso of final leaf. 54, [2] pp. Small 4to, modern binding reusing an early MS. leaf over boards (verso of final leaf a little soiled). [Basel: J. Froben, 1518].

First separate edition of these two famous texts, “In Praise of Marriage” and “In Praise of Medicine.” The first work created a cause célèbre; written many years earlier in honor of the marriage of his friend Lord Mountjoy, when finally published it was seen by the Louvain and Paris theologians as an implicit condemnation of clerical celibacy.

The second work is Erasmus’s expression of his views of the medical arts. It “presents a view of medical ethics that identifies competence, beneficence and diligence as the physician’s primary moral obligations. The activity of the physician, when directed toward the patient in accordance with these obligations, gives rise to reciprocal obligations on the part of the patient: gratitude and reward. The activity of the patient in accordance with these obligations returns honour and payment to the physician.”–Albury & Weisz, “The Medical Ethics of Erasmus and the Physician-Patient Relationship” (online resource). It is dedicated to the distinguished physician Henricus Afinius, the chief physician of Antwerp. More about Encomium Matrimonii…Encomium Artis Medicae per eundem

One engraved plate (somewhat browned). 39, [1] pp. 4to, cont. half-calf & marbled boards. Helmstadt: C.G. Fleckeisen, 1799.

First edition of Gauss’s first book for which he received his doctorate degree; in this rare work Gauss gave the first rigorous proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra. This theorem, which states that every algebraic equation in one unknown has a root, was expressed by Albert Girard, Descartes, Newton, and Maclaurin. Attempts at a proof were made by d’Alembert, Euler, and Lagrange, but Gauss was the first to furnish a rigorous demonstration.

This is Gauss’s first great work and marks the beginning of an extraordinary ten years which saw the publication of his Disquisitiones Arithmeticae (1801) and his calculation of the orbit of the newly discovered planet Ceres. More about Demonstratio Nova Theorematis Omnem Functionem Algebraicam Rationalem Integram unius Variabilis...

34 painted scenes, using brush and colors, on 136 pages. Text written in a very legible hand. 29; 23; 22; 21; 25; 28; 20; 32; 21; 21 folding leaves. Ten vols. 8vo (265 x 185 mm.), orig. wrappers, new stitching. [Japan: ca. 1811 or shortly thereafter].

This very beautiful manuscript depicts and describes the famous “Seven Hot Springs at Hakone” and surrounding mountainous landscapes. These spas, and the beautiful landscapes in which they are located, have been known and enjoyed since the 12th century; they play an important role in the cultural and artistic imagination of the Japanese. The waters are also considered to have important medicinal qualities.

Our superbly illustrated manuscript is one of several early copies (there is another in the National Diet Library), probably derived from a scroll of “Shichito no shiori.” They served as pictorial guides to the seven main hot springs (onsen) of Hakone. The author of the text was Roka Sanjin, and the whole work was edited by Bunso Shujin, both of whom have furnished Prefaces in the first volume. There follows an index for all ten volumes. A history of onsen is provided with discussions of their medical benefits. More about Manuscript on paper, entitled on first leaf of Vol. I “Shichito no shiori” [“Stories about...

Several diagrams in the text. 1 p.l., 33 (i.e. 29) pp. Large 4to, orig. blue wrappers, uncut. London: W. Bulmer, 1814.

First separate edition, with new pagination. This offprint belonged to Carl Friedrich Gauss, with the “Gauss-Bibliothek” stamp on the title. This copy was no doubt sent by Herschel to Europe’s leading mathematician.

The present work is an important contribution to mathematical notation by Herschel, who was, with Charles Babbage and George Peacock, a founder of the famous Analytical Society, a group of Cambridge mathematical reformers. They wanted to leave behind the fluxional, Newtonian notation so prevalent in 18th-century Britain and... More about Consideration of Various Points of Analysis...from the Philosophical Transactions

[Styria; ca. 1610-20].

An important document for the early history of iron ore mining, refining, and trading in the Erzberg region of Styria, the most important ore mining area of Central Europe. These activities have continued from Roman times and were especially important in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries.

This illustrated manuscript is a directory of the devices of all the iron mills likely active in the Sankt Gallen area in the early 17th century. These devices comprise a maker’s mark — usually a geometrically shaped symbol but sometimes in the shape of an object such as an imperial... More about Illustrated manuscript on paper, one blank leaf, 173 leaves, each with a full-page richly colored...

Title within ornate woodcut architectural border. Woodcut printer’s device on title. 26 unnumbered leaves. Small folio, cont. pigskin-backed wooden boards, spine & boards stamped in blind, orig. brass catches on upper cover, one (of two) orig. clasps. Paris: N. de La Barre for E. Le Fevre, 6 October 1515.

[bound with]:

—. Arithmetica Speculativa…duodecim libris demonstrata. Title within ornate woodcut architectural border which is printed in red & black. Woodcut printer’s device on title. Several woodcuts in the text. 100 unnumbered leaves. Small folio (some foxing). Paris: N. de La Barre for E. Le Fevre, 18 December 1515. More about Proportiones

viii, [4], 610 pp. Large 4to, attractive antique panelled calf, green morocco lettering piece on spine. London: J. Johnson, 1803.

Second edition, “very much enlarged.” This edition, known as the “Great Quarto,” is substantially a new book in which Malthus defended his views against a host of critics. “The central idea of the essay — and the hub of Malthusian theory — was a simple one. The population of a community, Malthus, suggested, increases geometrically, while food supplies increased only arithmetically. If the natural increase in population occurs, the food supply becomes insufficient and the size of the population is checked by ‘misery’... More about An Essay on the Principle of Population; or, a View of its Past and Present Effects on Human...

Finely engraved title-pages, engraved dedication leaf to Louis XV, engraved head- & tail-pieces, & many engravings in the text. Vol. I: two engraved plates & Vol. II: 63 engraved plates. 5 p.l., 468, [2] pp.; 2 p.l., xii, [4], 132 (i.e. 135 leaves incl. 47*, 86*, & 107*); 2 leaves. Two vols. Folio, cont. red morocco, triple gilt fillet round sides, spines richly gilt, a.e.g. Paris: 1750.

First edition and a magnificent large set bound in contemporary red morocco; this is a presentation copy from Baron Holbach, inscribed on the free front-endpaper: “This Book I receiv’d from the Baron D’Holbach. Paris – October – 1763.”

“This is the earliest analytical work on engraved gems and one that fully retains value even today. However, the two volumes are actually two distinct works combined together for the author’s convenience as publisher as well as writer. The first volume is by far the most important because of its authoritative summary of the knowledge of engraved gems and that enormously increased in value by its lengthy discourses on previous works published on engraved gems, with a large, nearly exhaustive list of same… More about Traité des Pierres graveés