3 p.l., 16, [2], 153, [2] pp. 12mo, cont. calf, spine blackened at the time of binding & lettered in gilt. London: Printed by J.M. for G. Sawbridge, 1678.

An absolutely lovely copy from the library of William Constable (all his books are gorgeous) and Harrison D. Horblit, with their bookplates. This is a later edition, which first appeared in 1667.

William Leybourn (1626-1716), was one of the most influential mathematicians/surveyors of his day. This book is a theoretical guide to a logarithmic rule. It “begins with a description of the standard carpenter’s ruler and how it can be used to measure stone, timber and board-measure... More

24 folding woodcut plates & numerous woodcuts in the text of Part I. 12 p.l. (first leaf a blank), 316 pp., one leaf of errata; 205 leaves (incl. added title with woodcut, final three leaves blank). Two parts in one vol. Small 8vo, cont. vellum (carefully rebacked in vellum, later endpapers). Rome: A. Tinassi, 1679.

First edition, presentation copy, with an “Ex dono Auctoris” inscription on front endpaper to an unidentified recipient (in the recipient’s hand). “The Tariffa, perhaps the rarest of all Kircher’s works and his least characteristic, is entirely mathematical. It treats primarily geometrical figures and simple trigonometry. The work is organized in... More

20 unnumbered leaves. 8vo, attractive antique panelled calf (title & a few leaves with minor & careful strengthenings, minor worming). Cologne: Heirs of H. Quentel, 1501.

First edition of one of the earliest arithmetics; this is an extremely rare book on the market. “This is the earliest treatise on algorism printed at Cologne. It is divided into four ‘tractati,’ and includes the fundamental operations through evolution; a brief treatment of abacus or line reckoning; common fractions; rule of three, partnership, and over twenty miscellaneous rules…In the algoristic treatment of integers Huswirth places ‘duplatio’ (doubling) after multiplication, and ‘mediatio’ (halving) after division; but when he... More

Each title within the same architectural woodcut border, two folding woodcut plates in the second part (the 2nd plate is numbered p. 33), & numerous woodcuts in the text of geometrical & surveying problems. 8 p.l., 88 pp.; 2 p.l., 33 pp. Two parts in two vols. Small 4to, modern vellum-backed paste-paper boards. Nuremberg: S. Halbmayer, colophon dated “1626.”

First edition, and complete with both parts, of this posthumously published work. Galgemair (1564-1619), who had been a student of both Apian and Mästlin at Tübingen, wrote a series of books on scientific instruments.

The first part of this book describes the precursor to the sector and proportional compass that is today known as the reduction compass; a full-page woodcut of the instrument appears on A2r. There are 100 examples of the uses of the instrument, most with illustrations. The first examples provide geometric solutions to problems of a more abstract nature, while the latter address practical problems, such as how much gold foil a goldsmith needs to cover a round roof at the top of a tower, heights and distances of buildings, etc. The uses for the architect and cartographer are obvious. More

One folding engraved plate. [6] pp. Small 4to, attractive modern marbled boards, leather lettering-piece on spine. Augsburg: D. Francken, 1610.

First edition and very rare. Faulhaber (1580-1635), a teacher of mathematics at Ulm and a friend of Kepler, made his most lasting accomplishments in the dissemination and explanation of the logarithmic method of calculation.

This is Faulhaber’s second book and caused him considerable problems with the city’s municipal council, as it was published without the permission of the office responsible for supervision of the schools. This book describes a surveying instrument invented by Daniel Speckle in the Netherlands. The fine plate depicts... More

Woodcut printer’s device on title, full-page woodcut heraldic device on recto of leaf preceding text, two divisional titles, & woodcut diagrams in the text. 38 p.l., 269, [3], 343 (i.e., 353)-798 pp. Three parts in one vol. Large thick 4to, cont. vellum over boards, yapp edges, ties gone. Cologne: J. Gymnich, 1591.

First edition, the very fine Bibliotheca Colbertina – Honeyman copy, of this important work on economics, the history of money, and numismatics. Budel (d. 1597), was director of the Bavarian mint.

This massive work is really a collection of texts on economics, money, and the study of coins and paper money by a.... More

Paper cut-out in the shape of two hands (slightly creased at connected fingertips as usual). [Paris: 1953].

The extremely rare and delightful invitation — in the shape of two hands — for a Toyen exhibition held at l’Etoile Scellée in May 1953. With short quotations by Péret, Breton, J. Schuster, J. L. Bédouin, B. Roger, G. Legrand, J. Heisler, and a checklist of the works exhibited.

In very good condition, minor wear to edges. More

Engraved frontis.; eight engraved vignettes and head- & tailpieces, 19 finely engraved plates (most folding) & some engravings in the text. 18 p.l., 254, [36] pp. of index & errata. Thick 8vo (160 x 105 mm.), late 18th-cent. marbled boards (extremities a little rubbed & worn). Dresden: [C. G. Nitzsche], 1765.

An important German edition of Bosse’s Traité des manières de graver en Taille douce (1st ed., in French: 1645), considerably augmented for the German audience. This work was translated and published by Carl Gottlieb Nitzsche from the 1745 Cochin edition. The Cochin edition was the first to promote etching with hard etching-ground (vernis dur), instead of the soft etching-ground... More

2 p.l., viii, 118 pp. Small 8vo (153 x 100 mm.), cont. pink paste-paper boards (spine sunned), green morocco lettering-piece on spine. Paris: L’Imprimerie des Sciences et Arts, 1798.

The scarce catalogue recording the paintings seized from Lombardy by the French army. This proved to be an extremely contentious exhibition in France because upon the arrival of the paintings, French experts decided to restore nearly all of them.

“During this hectic period, with works of art coming and going in large numbers, a controversy of major proportions erupted over the way the [Louvre] was run and in particular over the conduct of restorations…Exacerbating... More

1 p.l., 73 pp. Small 8vo, attractive modern marbled wrappers. Göttingen: F.E. Huth, 1824.

The very rare sale catalogue of the library of Suchfort (1747-1824), classical scholar and rector of the Göttingen gymnasium. In 1771, he published a book on Stesichorus (ca. 630–555 B.C.), the first great lyric poet of the West. The catalogue has 1643 lots, and there are multiple items in a number of the lots. The library was very largely devoted to classical studies and philology. The final lot lists Suchfort’s dactyliotheca.

Fine copy. We find no copy outside of Germany. More

1 p.l., 109 pp. Small 8vo, attractive modern marbled wrappers. Berlin: 1815.

The very rare sale catalogue — Loh, Vol. 6, p. 102, locates no copy — of the fine scientific library of Meyer (1739-1811), owner of the Hof-Apotheke in Stettin. He studied chemistry in Berlin under J.H. Pott and A.S. Marggraf, and in 1764 he went to Uppsala University, where he studied botany with Linnaeus and possibly chemistry with J.G. Wallerius. In 1780 Meyer founded a distillery in Stettin to produce French-style brandy and liqueurs according to a process that he had developed in his apothecary shop.

This library of 2227 lots was an important collection of botanical, chemical, medical, and pharmaceutical texts, including all the works of “the chemical revolution.” More

1 p.l., 29 pp. Small 8vo, attractive modern marbled wrappers. [London]: 1816.

A very rare priced catalogue, listing about 500 titles, issued by one of the most important London booksellers of the time. The firm had two locations, joined by a bridge across the street between shops. Black apprenticed for his father from 1781 to 1789 and was succeeded by his son, Alexander. The firm continued until the middle of the 19th century.

Fine copy. More