MARTINEZ SILICEO, LIBER ARITHMETICE PRACTICE, PARIS, 1513

FIRST EDITION, issue with Petit’s device on title, small folio (265 x 192mm.), title printed in red and black with woodcut printer’s device, the whole within a woodcut border, criblé initials, woodcut diagrams, a few early annotations, brown morocco by Zaehnsdorf, red morocco-backed chemise and slipcase, minor worming in the text, title page remargined at foot

Johannes Knipfberg fisicus, faded inscription on title; L'Art Ancien, Zurich, Bulletin XVII, (c.1928-1930), item 679 (Sfr 300); Robert B. Honeyman (1897-1987), sale in these rooms, 31 October 1978, lot 350, Globe Bookstore, £500; bought from E.P. Goldschmidt & Co., London, 1987

Tomash & Williams M55; BP16 102321; Navarro Brotóns 517; Smith, Rara arithmetica, pp.95-96; USTC 144136

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The author was an Iberian mathematician who had come to the university of Paris in 1498, where he taught mathematics (to Oronce Fine among others), while being a student (of dialectic and theology); he afterwards was called to Salamanca as professor of natural philosophy. This work retains the usual structure of the algorismus, but presents a simple version of the rule of three, belonging to the abacus tradition. This was a novelty in university mathematics and the passage was stricken when Oronce Fine brought out a new edition in 1519