Typographical device on title. Printed throughout in black letter. 11, [1] leaves. Small 4to, fine modern blue morocco, dentelles gilt, a.e.g. London: T. Purfoote, the assigne of R. Tottill, 1588.

Fourth edition of one of the earliest English books of "secrets," or manual of practical arts; this text appears to be entirely of English origins. It was first published in 1573 and reprinted in 1581 and 1583; there were also editions of 1596 and 1605. All editions are very scarce; of this printing the NSTC (24255) records five copies: L18, O; F, PN, NY Metropolitan Museum.

This is a very early English manual of instructions for painting and illuminating ("limming," or "limning"), particularly books and manuscripts. The following recipes are characteristic: "to temper golde or silver wherewith you may write with a pen or paint with a pencil"; "to temper Brasill wherewith to write, florish, or rule bookes"; "to make a kind of colouring called vernix, wherewith you may vernish gold, silver, and other colour or paintings, be it upon velim, paper, timber, stone, leade, copper, glasse, &c." The last leaf contains on the recto "the names of all such colours and other thinges as are mentioned and contayned in this present booke of limming, and are for the moste parte to bee solde at the apothecaries," and on the verso is an index to the various recipes. More

iv, 180 pp. 8vo, cont. French red straight-grained morocco, covers with gilt frames composed of a diamond & chain roll between two gilt fillets, flat spine in six compartments, the second with title, in the others a large sunburst, dentelles gilt with a lozenge & oval roll depicting emblems “de la Paix de des Arts,” a.e.g. Paris: G. De Bure, An VIII [1800].

A very finely bound copy of the sale catalogue of the library of Bonnier d’Arco (1750-99), an important figure in the French Revolution who was assassinated while head of the French delegation at the Congress of Rastadt. 2190 lots. More

3 p.l., vi, [2], [3]-766 pp., 2 leaves of errata. Two parts in one vol. Large 4to, cont. mottled calf (two corners a bit worn, outer margin of title a little stained, some spots of dampness & dormant mold towards end), arms in gilt of the Marquis de Tulle de Villefranche (the arms of this important family of the Comtat Venaissin were added in the 19th century) on both covers, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Avignon: L. Chambeau, 1770-71.

The very rare privately printed catalogue — issued in a few copies only — of one of the most important collections... More

Folding lithographed diagram. 8vo, orig. pale green cloth (head & foot of spine with slightest chipping, occasional unimportant foxing), covers stamped in blind, spine lettered in gilt. New York: D. Appleton, 1860.

First American edition, “second issue” with three quotations on verso of half-title.

A very good and bright copy preserved in a slip-case. More

45 woodcut illus. in the text. 29 folding leaves. Three vols. in one. Large 8vo, orig. wrappers (rather rubbed, some light dampstaining), remains of block-printed title label on upper cover, modern stitching. [Kyoto]: Osumi Seibei, [Foreword dated 1311, colophon dated 1675].

The third edition — preceded by an undated early 17th-century undated edition and a 1659 edition — of this collection of dissertations on moxibustion and acupuncture. It concerns moxibustion treatment for adults and children with 36 pictures of adults and nine of children, illustrating the locations of acupuncture points with explanations of efficacies. This edition is notable for presenting an entirely new set... More

Woodcut printer’s device on title & another on verso of last leaf. Many woodcut diagrams throughout and numerous fine & large woodcut initials. 4 p.l., 587, [1] pp. Folio, cont. blind-stamped panelled pigskin over beveled wooden boards (minor worming at beginning, touching some letters), orig. clasps (one defective) and catches, 19th-cent. morocco lettering pieces on spine. Basel: J. Herwagen, 1537.

First Basel edition; this is the first complete assemblage of the Euclidean texts, with printings of both Campanus of Navara’s and Bartolomeo Zamberti’s versions. It also contains the new Preface by Philipp Melanchthon which in many copies, according to Thomas-Stanford, was removed by the... More

Two folding engraved plates. 2 p.l., 363 pp.; 2 p.l., 346 pp. Two vols. Large 4to, early 19th-cent. half-sheep & green marbled boards, flat spine gilt, red leather lettering piece on spine. St. Petersburg: Typis Academiae Imperialis Scientiarum, 1783-85.

First edition of this collection of 29 mathematical treatises by Euler; the first volume was published in the year of his death. This is a very uncommon book.

“Containing important papers on the theory of numbers, including his famous ‘Observationes circa Divisionem Quadratorum per Numeros primos’, also ‘de Criteriis Aequationis fxx + gyy = hzz, utrum ea Resolutionem admittat necne? Considerationes super Theoremate Fermatiano,’ etc.... More

Engraved vignettes on titles depicting the lemniscate & 16 folding engraved plates. xxiv, 528 pp.; xii, 536 pp. Two vols. Large 4to, mid-19th cent. half-vellum & marbled boards (occasional minor stains), entirely uncut. Pesaro: Stamperia Gavelliana, 1750.

First edition of a rare work, containing the important collected writings of Fagnano (1682-1766), Italian nobleman and mathematician. Many of the texts printed here appear for the first time. Fagnano’s advances in algebra and geometry were very far-reaching and his work on the rectification of the lemniscate made him, according to Legendre, the true founder of the theory of elliptic functions. This breakthrough was of great importance and... More

Photographic album, stamped on upper cover “Kembs,” containing 40 fine black & white photographs, each measuring 163 x 218 mm. & each mounted on thick board, all with printed explanatory descriptions above & below. Oblong small folio (250 x 335 mm.), orig. half-cloth & marbled boards, sewn. Photographs dated between April 1929 and October 1933.

The construction of the “Grand Canal d’Alsace,” which channeled the hitherto unnavigable Upper Rhine River, was one of the most important civil engineering projects in France of the last century. About 50 kilometers long and running between Kembs (just below Basel) and Vogelgrun, it permits the navigation of ships and barges between Basel (a city which... More

Ten folding engraved plates. 31 pp. Large 4to, cont. half-calf & marbled boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. London: Printed by W. Richardson & S. Clark; and sold by J. Nourse & Mess. Mount & Page, 1767.

[bound with]:

MASKELYNE, Nevil. An Account of the Going of Mr. John Harrison’s Watch, at the Royal Observatory, from May 6th, 1766 to March 4th, 1767. Together with the Original Observations and Calculations of the Same…Published by Order of the Commissioners of Longitude. 28, lvi pp. Large 4to. London: W. Richardson & S. Clark, 1767. More

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

2 p.l., 44 pp. Small 4to, cont. limp vellum, arms in gilt of Cardinal Francesco Barberini on covers, panelled in gilt with round gilt flower devices in each corner, silk ties gone, a.e.g. [Heidelberg]: G. Vögelin, 1622.

First edition, a gift from Cardinal Francesco Barberini to Galileo’s assistant and co-author Mario Guiducci, inscribed on the title-page “Ex dono Illustrissime Cardinalis Barberini — Marij Guiduccij liber est.” This is a very rare book; I can locate only six other copies (see below).

This copy represents the intersection of some of the most important dynamics of Baroque Rome. Written by Giulio... More