Mathematics

London: Printed for the Author; and sold by L. Hawes…[et al.], 1764 First edition. Recent tan calf over marbled boards, Gilt-ruled spine with crimson morocco label. . Quarto. Five engraved folding plates. With list of subscribers. A little light foxing. A very good copy of a scarce book. John Landen (1719-1790) was the most notable British mathematician in the second half of the eighteenth century. At the time when British mathematics was held back by inadequate notation, an unfortunate consequence of the Newton-Leibniz dispute, he was the only Englishman to score major advances in mathematics and in the art of computation. In this, his most important work, he attempted to replace the fluxional calculus with an analytic method "founded entirely on the anciently received principles of algebra." A second volume was planned, but it never appeared. According to Lacroix, this was the first attempt to reduce the infinitesimal calculus to "purely mathematical notions" (Oxford DNB). Landen's writings… Read More

Brussels: M. Haney, 1846 First edition of "Quetelet's best researches on the application of probability to the physical and social sciences" (Cajori). Original printed wrappers. Affixed to the bottom portion of the front wrappers is a printed slip for the Paris publisher, Jules Renouard, who apparently acquired part of the edition. . Large octavo. Wrappers partially browned, spine split in several places, but a very good copy, in its original state, in a full morocco clamshell slipcase. Quetelet (1796-1874) was a Belgian astronomer, mathematician, statistician and sociologist. He founded and directed the Brussels Observatory. He became interested in the ˙young science of probability and statistics as an astronomer to explain measurement errors, but became one of the first to see its applications to the social sciences. He understood the complexities of social phenomena and became interested in using what he called "social physics" as a tool to explain crime rates, marital rates, suicide rates,… Read More

Venice: Battista Tramontin, 1689. Vellum. Very Good -. The very scarce 1689 original printing of Antonio Biondini's "Prattica D'Algebra" ("Treatise of Algebra"). Published in Venice in its commonly-read Latin, the original vellum binding is still strong and firmly in place. Forgivable spotting and staining to the panels, internally the pages are surprisingly clean and bright. Octavo, decorative mottled edges. (Cited in "History of Mathematics", Vol. II, pg. 409, David Eugene Smith, Ginn and Company, Boston, 1923).

1723 1st ed Mathematics Instruments Bion Engineering Science Navigation PhysicsRare 1st English edition of Bion's famous mathematics treatise!'The Construction and Principal Uses of Mathematical Instruments' is an important mathematics treatise by Nicolas Bion which is considered "the most famous book devoted to instruments." (Knight). Bion was a 17th-century engineer and math tool maker who was well-known for being the king's engineer.This 1723 first English edition includes all 26 full-page and folding engravings – a highly desirable book! Illustrations in this book depict navigational tools such as compasses, ships and ship masts, armillary spheres, and protractors; it also includes maps, clocks, sundials, globes, vacuum pumps, pendulums, mirrors, telescopes, and more!Item number: #5166Price: $2500BION, NicolasThe construction and principal uses of mathematical instruments : Translated from the French of M. Bion, ... To which are added, the construction and uses of such instruments as are omitted… Read More

[Venice: Nicolo di Aristotile detto Zoppino,], 1534 First edition of this treatise on arithmetic for merchants. Sfortunati, whose dates are not recorded, was a Siena-born teacher of arithmetic who worked through much of Italy and Sicily. His book, which went into at least six more editions by the year 1568, was influential, being one of the main sources for Tartaglia's General trattato de' numeri et misure, which has been called the best treatise on arithmetic to appear in the sixteenth century. Contemporary limp vellum, modern paper spine label, later front endpapers. Quarto. Title within a woodcut border, divided into four panels. Title printed in black and red. Text with many mathematical calculations printed in the outer margins. Title a bit soiled, lower margins of first three leaves with repaired worming, lower outer corner of some leaves with an old, faded dampstain. a few light brown stains. Still, a very good copy of a rare book. Riccardi emphasizes the rarity of the first edition: "Questa… Read More

Cambridge and London: Typis Academicis; Benj. Tooke, 1707. First edition. Very Good. Octavo (19cm); [8], 343, [1] pages (the last page blank) . Figure and diagrams in text. Running-title: Algebrae elementa. Editor's preface signed: G.W. [i.e. William Whiston]. In contemporary paneled calf, rebacked with new burgundy morocco spine label. Edges of boards rubbed. Early ink ownership inscriptions on blank endleaves (the contemporary autograph of Edward Harington, and the 19th-century mathematician William Fleetwood Sheppard). Half-title present. References: Babson Newton Collection; 199; ESTC; T018645; Bowes and Bowes, 277. William Whiston (the successor to Newton's chair at Cambridge) "extracted from Newton a somewhat reluctant permission to print" this remarkable "schoolbook" based on Newton's lecture notes (Babson Catalogue). So reluctant, in fact, that Newton kept his name out of it, and supposedly considered purchasing the press run in order to destroy it! (He later republished it himself.)… Read More

Illustrated with 12 folding engraved plates of optical/geometrical diagrams and a few woodcut diagrams and tables in text; large woodcut decorative tail-pieces, head-pieces and initials. 8vo. Contemporary full speckled calf; boards with double-fillet gilt-ruled borders; spine with five raised bands and gilt-lettered (faded) morocco label; edges speckled red. London: Printed for W. and J. Innys, printers to the Royal Society, 1718. Second English Edition revised and enlarged by Newton. First Octavo Edition. Second issue, with the title-page dated 1718 (the very rare first issue is dated 1717). The first edition appeared in 1704 in quarto. For this second edition the plates were newly engraved to fit the new octavo format. The most important feature of this second edition is that the number of Queries at the end was increased from 16 to 31, including the celebrated Query 28 on the nature of light. The Queries in the initial set were rather brief, but the later ones became more substantial, written as… Read More

1605 1ed Fiammelli La Riga Matematica Military Engineering Civil Mathematics
Giovanni Fiammelli was a 16th-century Italian engineer who focused on mathematics as the foundation for his research and planning. While little is known of his life, he published one of the most important mathematics treatises in 'La Riga Matematica'. In this book, Fiammelli discusses his theories on trigonometry and the use of math in military and civil engineering. Fiammelli explains his techniques in using mat to determine water depths, measure long distances, and give context to architectural planning.
This 1605 first edition is highly rare and highly valuable! It contains desirable in-text geometric figures.
Item number: #15631
Price: $1950
FIAMMELLI, Giovanni Francesco
La riga matematica di Gio. Francesco Fiammelli fiorentino matematico. Dove si tratta del misvrare con la vista di lontano senza strumenti, cioè con vna sola riga, e leuar piante di città, di eserciti, d'armate di mare, e profondità di fiumi,...… Read More

Frankfurt & Berlin: J.J. Speier, 1765. First Edition . Half Leather. Very Good. 4to. 1. Theil und 2. Theil bound together. 124pp+123pp.First part called "'Ir Heshbon," on Arithmetic and Algebra; the second part : "Berure Middot," on Geometry. MODERN HALF LEATHER BINDING WITH MARBLED BOARDS. Title page with stamp, , some old handwriting and markings. Upper corner of title page some 3 cm missing and replaced with old repair. Pages with some browning and occasional minor soiling. First pages of the second part trimmrd to text. Last page of the second part with repair to edges, End papers with some old writing and minor soiling . OTHERWISE VERY GOOD.AN EXTREMELY RARE AND INTERESTING WORK of MATHEMATICS in HEBREW. (this work is mentioned in Zeitlkin, Bibliotheca Hebraica....)- Elijah ben Moses Gershon Zahalon was a Jewish Talmudist, mathematician and physician living in Pinczcow, Russian Poland.

Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1947. Second Edition stated, 1947. From the collection of George J. Stolnitz, long time Professor of Economics at Indiana University and nationally recognized demographer, with his 16 page undated notebook in his pencil handwriting titled "Seminar on Theory of Games" with the first 8 pages filled with his notes in pencil. Returning to Princeton in 1946 following wartime service in the Air Force, Stolnitz was a research associate at OPR, received his Ph.D. in economics and demography in 1952, and taught economics there until 1956. Von Neumann and Morgenstern led the Seminar on Theory of Games at Princeton from 1949-1955. With first 115 pages of book also annotated in pencil by Stolnotz. Very Good, lacking the dust jacket, spine slightly sunned. A unique copy of this classic text given the close prior owner's association to the authors. . Second Edition. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Heidelberg, Jacobus Milius, 1582.
(17) ll., (1) bl. l., 495 pp., (1) p. and 6 folding plates.
[Preceded by:]
I - Peucer, Caspar. Elementa doctrinae de Circulis coelestibus et primo motu, recognita et correcta.
Wittenb., Joh. Crato, 1576.
(8) ll., 304 pp. (gap in the pagination without loss), 8 folding plates.
Two astronomical works bound in one volume 8vo [155 x 98 mm], full overlapping ivory vellum, remains of ties, flat spine contemporary painted with the author's name, title and library marks handwritten in black ink, sprinkled edges. Contemporary binding.

II/ Precious and extremely rare first edition of the "Epitome Astronomiae", the major work of Joannes Kepler's (1571-1630) master, the astronomer Michael Maestlin (1550-1631).
Caspar, Kepler S. 4/; Houzeau/L. 2747; Zinner 3041; vgl. Admas M 85 ff u. STC 585.
"Michael Maestlin (also called Mästlin, Möstlin or Moestlin), was born on September 30th 1550 in Göppingen in Bade-Württemberg and died on October 20th 1631 in Tübingen. He was a German… Read More

1534 1ed Apian Instrumentum Astronomy Mathematics Alchemy Durer ART Trigonometry
Peter Apian was a 16th-century humanist who is remembered for his studies in astronomy and mathematics. One of his best known works was his 1534 mathematics treatise 'Instrumentum Primi Mobilis'. This book was Apian's studies in trigonometry, and, according to Tomash & Williams,
"Apian published a table of sines that, for the first time, was based on a circle with a radius of a power of ten, in this case one hundred thousand. The values of the functions were thus decimal and were easily adapted to any situation in which the defining circle was a decimal power."
This 1534 first edition is exceedingly rare and valuable. It contains the expected sine charts as well as numerous woodcut illustrations depicting protractor and arc readings. Note that this incredible work includes the original title page, which features a woodcut after Albrecht Durer.
Item number: #19895
Price: $2950
APIANUS, Peter
Instrumentum primi mobilis :… Read More

1659 1ed George Fox FAMOUS Primer for Scholars Mathematics Quaker Philosophy

George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, was known for his missionary travels and journal writings describing his life and ministry. However, he wrote an interesting primer which, on the surface, was intended for 'scholars and doctors'. Though, this work "Primer for the Schollers and Doctors of Europe", has often been considered one of the best children's books in England, according to Harvey Darton. This book offers elementary descriptions of subjects such as grammar, music, arithmetic, ethics, theology, and medicine.

Item number: #21847
Price: $1950

FOX, George

A primer for the schollers and doctors of Europe, but especially to them in and about the (called) two famous universities in England, Oxford and Cambridge

London: printed for Thomas Simmons, 1659. First edition.

Details:
• Collation: Complete with all pages
o 55, [1]
o Pagination errors expected
• References: Wing F 1884; Madan 2424; Harvey Darton, "Best… Read More

Red Cliff, Colorado:: Helen Hiebert Studio,, 2021.. Edition of 25. Box size: 9.25' x 6" x 1.25". Book size (closed): 8-3/8" x 5-3/8". From the colophon: "Helen Hiebert created all of the handmade paper in this book with a 90% cotton rag/10% abaca fiber blend. She composed the string drawings and stitched them with the assistance of Will Katauskas. The end sheets are machine stitched. Tom Leech printed the text at the Press at the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe, New Mexico from polymer plates made by Boxcar Press. The typeface is Dante. Claudia Cohen bound and boxed the book. Helen Hiebert: "Tension is a pulling force in physics. The strings within these pages cannot be pushed to form a definitive shape: when a page is closed, the thread - without tension - goes slack, lying in chaos between the folds. As you turn the page, extending it to 180 degrees, the single thread pulls taut, and the invisible property of tension creates beauty and order.… Read More

1551 RARE Peter Apian Cosmographia Astronomy Navigation AMERICA Map Mathematics

Peter Apian was a 16th-century humanist who is remembered for his studies in astronomy and mathematics. His best and most-known work was his book on cosmography which was extremely influential into the 17th-century. In this work, Apian discusses navigation by use of astronomy, utilizing woodcut illustrations to depict aspects of astronomy and navigation. Other illustrations include zodiac characters, planets, maps, and navigational instruments.

Perhaps the most important aspect of this book is that it is one of the earliest works relating to America. In 1507, Martin Waldseemuler printed a map which included the word 'America' for the first time. 'Cosmographiae Introductio' was published as an accompaniment to that map.

This 1551 edition was collected and annotated by Gemma Frisius, a famed Dutch cartographer. The illustrations found in this work are utterly impressive – it even includes interactive engravings… Read More