Galileo, Le operazioni del compasso, Padua, 1649; Fabri, Squadra mobile, Padua, 1673, 2 volumes, vellum

GALILEI, GALILEO AND OTTAVIO FABRI

Two works on measuring and calculating instruments, comprising:

i. Galileo. Le operazioni del compasso geometrico, et militare... terza edizione. Padua: Paolo Frambotto, 1649, 4to (212 x 155mm.), woodcut device on title-page, woodcut initials and headpieces, woodcut illustrations and diagrams, folding engraved plate, contemporary limp vellum, DSA library stamp on title-page, first leaf slightly stained with a few small wormholes

ii. Fabri. L'uso della squadra mobile. Padua: Gattella, 1673, 4to (221 x 153mm.), engraved title-page, folding engraved plate, engraved illustrations, replacement engravings pasted to M1 and M3, near-contemporary vellum

together 2 volumes

Fabri's work on this measuring instrument was first printed in 1598, not that long before the first edition of Galileo's handbook on the use of his compass (1606). Galileo's compass was a calculating instrument designed for use by soldiers and merchants, which could be used for all sorts of complex calculations from currency conversion to calculating cannon charge.

LITERATURE:

Galileo: Cinti 122; USTC 4021152; Fabri: cf. Edit16 18467 (first edition of 1598)