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.

Clairaut’s anonymous and... More

Woodcut diagrams in the text. 4 p.l. (final leaf a blank), 134 pp. Small 4to, cont. vellum over boards. Venice: B. Bruni, 1667. [bound with]: —. Seconde Considerationi sopra la Forza dell’Argomento Fisicomattematico…contra il Moto Diurno della Terra… Woodcut diagrams in the text. 4 p.l., 111 pp. Small 4to. Padua: M. Bolzetta de Cadorini, 1668. [bound with]: —. Terze considerationi sopra Una Lettera del…Gio: Alfonso Borelli…scritta da Questi in replica di alcune Dottrine incidentemente tocche… Woodcut diagrams in the text. 4 p.l., 46 pp. Small 4to. Venice: Heirs of Leni, 1668. [bound with]: —... More

Numerous fine woodcut initials, diagrams, tables, & maps in the text. Woodcut printer’s device at end. 14 p.l., 18 leaves, [6] leaves, 30, xxxi-cxxvi leaves, 4 leaves. Folio, cont. Flemish blindstamped calf binding over wooden boards (rather well rebacked, a few unimportant stains), rolls of medallion heads & foliage forming a double panel, orig. clasps and catches, metal corner guards. Cologne: J. Prael for P. Quentel, 1537.

[bound after]:

ANSELM, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. In Omnes Pauli Apostili Epistolas enarrationes. Title within fine woodcut border by Anton Woensam of Worms. Some fine large woodcut initials. 8 p.l., 531 pp. Folio. Cologne... More

Six folding engraved plates. Title in red & black. 1 p.l., 308 pp. 8vo, cont. mottled sheep, flat spine nicely gilt, contrasting leather lettering piece on spine. Lausanne & Geneva: M.M. Bousquet, 1744.

First edition of this important book in which Cheseaux (1718-51), grandson of Crouzas and a fellow the Royal Society of London, first stated what was to become known as “the paradox of Cheseaux”: “With an infinite and uniform distribution of stars throughout space, the night sky should shine with a brightness corresponding to their average surface brightness.” A number of notable astronomers have struggled with this problem... More

Twelve folding engraved plates. 1 p.l., 300 pp.; 1 p.l., 166 pp.; 1 p.l., 165 pp. Three vols. in one. 4to, cont. sheep-backed mottled boards (minor rubbing, some foxing as is usual with this book). Berlin: A. Haude & J.C. Spener, 1746-50-51.

First edition of one of Euler’s scarcer works; this collection contains separate monographs on astronomy, optics, magnetism, electricity, mathematics, and physics and includes several of Euler’s most important and fundamental works.

Vol. I deals mostly with astronomy and optics. It is valuable for Euler’s tables of the sun and moon and for his discussion of the problem of... 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... More

Printed throughout in blue. 93; 87 folding leaves. Three juan in two vols. 8vo, orig. wrappers, stitched as issued. [Beijing]: Gu xue yuan, 1945.

First edition, printed entirely in blue ink, of this collection of jottings (a so-called biji or “brush notes”) by the 17th-century writer Gu Yanwu (1613-82). The work exists in two versions: a three-juan version and a one-juan version. Our three-juan version contains insights or thoughts gained while reading. They include comments on common sayings and dialogues between masters and students, on topics ranging from history and geography, astronomy and calendrical studies, and customs and divination practices... More

Engraved frontis. port. of Harris, 14 engraved plates (some folding, one with a short tear without loss) & numerous woodcut illus. in the text. Title in red & black. [463] leaves; [386] leaves. Two vols. Folio, cont. panelled calf (extremities a little worn, some browning as is usual with this book), red morocco lettering pieces on spines (Vol. I label recent & sympathetically done). London: 1704-10.

First edition of the first technical encyclopedia in any language and a landmark in the history of technology. “This was the first general scientific encyclopedia, and for it Harris drew upon some of the... More

Black & white illus. throughout. 397, [1] p. Large & thick 4to (279 x 210 mm.), pictorial softcover, title on spine. Stockholm: Moderna Museet, 1980.

The important catalogue for On Kawara’s survey exhibition at the Moderna Museet and three other institutions. This publication is profusely illustrated with images and reproductions of the conceptual artist’s work, including the Today series, I Met, I Went, I Got Up, I am still alive, etc. It also contains photographs of “Date Paintings” in galleries, museums, and the homes of private collectors. The second half of the catalogue, save the final dozen pages, is essentially... More

Finely engraved frontis. port. of the author & eight folding engraved plates. Five vols. 8vo, fine cont. mottled calf (a few minor defects), flat spines gilt, red morocco lettering pieces on spines. Paris: Maradan, 1797.

Second edition, corrected, and enlarged. This edition expands the sections on mineralogy and petrology from two volumes to four. First published in 1795, this is the author’s chief work, which enjoyed considerable popularity among his contemporaries; it was founded for the most part on Werner’s teachings. “Taking a broad cosmogonical view of creation, Lamétherie regarded the major features of the earth as the result of... More

Folding engraved plate in Vol. IV. Five vols. Large 4to, handsome antique blue morocco-backed marbled boards, flat spines nicely gilt. Paris: J.B.M. Duprat & others, An VII [1798]-1825.

First edition and a complete set with all the supplements. In this monumental and fundamental astronomical work, Laplace -- the "Newton of France" -- codified and developed the theories and achievements of Newton, Euler, d'Alembert, and Lagrange. "Laplace maintained that while all planets revolve round the sun their eccentricities and the inclinations of their orbits to each other will always remain small. He also showed that all these irregularities in movements and positions... More

Engraved port. of the author & an engraved vignette on title. Title printed in red & black. xxiv, 303 pp. Large 4to, cont. vellum over boards (minor worming at front & back). Florence: Tartini & Franchi, 1721.

First edition of this posthumously issued collection of letters by this famous scientist who has the distinction “of having written the best scientific prose in Italian after that of Galileo; his descriptions of experiments in physics are written in colorful, almost dramatic, language.”–D.S.B., IX, p. 3. Essays include those on light (addressed to Viviani), Galileo, the effects of snow, the comet of 1664... More