Lot 38
  • 38

Nasir al-Din Tusi (d.1274 AD), an abridgement of Tahrir kitab usul al-handasa li-Uqlidis, an exposition of the Euclid's 'Elements of Geometry', Persia, Ilkhanid, dated 701 AH/1301-02 AD

Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 GBP
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Description

  • ink on paper, bound
Arabic manuscript on paper, 131 leaves, 17 lines to the page, written in black naskh script, catchwords, numerous marginal annotations, 10 later replacement pages at the beginning, many mathematical and geometric diagrams in red and black throughout, brown stamped morocco binding

Condition

In fair overall condition, the first 10 pages later replacements, the margins dense with contemporaneous and later notes, water and various other stains, some pages with restorations affecting mainly the sides, the binding worn and with losses to the leather. As viewed.
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Catalogue Note

Nasir al-Din Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Tusi (d.1274 AD) was a leading scholar in the field of mathematics, astronomy, geometry and theology. Initiated into the study of mathematics by Kamal al-Din Muhammad al-Hasib in Tus, Khurasan, he continued his study in Nishapur and Iraq. One of his most important contributions to the field of mathematics was his recension of Euclid's Elements and Ptolomy's Almagest.

In 1259 AD, he founded the great astronomical observatory and the scientific school at Maragha, capital of the Ilkhanid Kingdom (see B.A. Rosenfeld – E. Ihsanoglu, Mathematicians, Astronomers & Other Scholars of Islamic Civilisation and Their Works (7th-19th c.), Istanbul, 2003, pp.211-19, no.606).

An inscription on the final page of the present work gives the date 701 AH/1301-02 AD, and the preface states that the manuscript consists of fifteen maqalahs, plus two supplements at the end, and four hundred and sixty-eight diagrams. The earliest copy of this work is dated 656 AH/1258 AD in the British Library (Stocks P. and Baker C. (ed.), 2001, p.374, M.4). See also Brockelmann, GAL, I. 670 – 676; suppl. I. 924-933.