Lot 573
  • 573

RUDOLFF, BEHEND UND HUBSCH RECHNUNG, 1525; SCHREIBER, AYN NEW KUNSTLICH BUECH, 1518, CONTEMPORARY CALF

Estimate
5,000 - 7,000 GBP
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Description

  • Behend unnd Hubsch Rechnung durch die kunstreichen regeln Algebre so gemeincklich die Coss genennt warden... Strassburg: Wolfgang Köpfel, 1525, woodcut diagrams
Schreiber, Heinrich (1492/1496-1525/1526). Ayn new kunstlich Buech welches gar gewiß und behend lernet nach der gemainen regel Detre... Nuremberg: Johann Stuchs for Lukas Alantsee of Vienna, [after 20 July] 1518 [or 1521], title printed in red and black, woodcut arms of Johann Tscherte on verso of title-page (slightly obscured on one edge), full-page woodcuts, some deckle edges 2 works in one volume, 8vo (159 x 100mm.), contemporary blind-stamped German calf, small central stamp of the Crucifixion, lettered in Spanish ARISMETICA REGL De LE COS, modern ties, annotations in Spanish and German, heavily restored at edges

Provenance

"Conv[entus] Cathesis", inscription on first title-page; Reiss and Auvermann, Auktion 39, 11 October 1988, lot 102, DM 31,000, Erwin Tomash

Literature

Rudolff: Tomash & Williams R123; Benzing-Müller, I, no. 1581 and II, p.277 no.73 and p.299 no. 1; Hoock & Jeannin R14.1; Stillwell II.226; USTC 615538; VD16 R3435
Schreiber: Tomash & Williams S61; Hoock & Jeannin S14.1; Stillwell II.233; USTC 614997; VD16 S4144 (as [1521]); Manfred Weidauer, "Bibliographie der Schriften von Heinrich Schreyber" in Heinrich Schreyber aus Erfurt, genannt Grammateus. Festschrift zum 500 Geburtstag, edited by Manfred Weidauer (Munich, 1996), pp.143-165 (p.148 no. 3A, locating 11 copies)

Condition

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."

Catalogue Note

FIRST EDITIONS, BOTH RARE. Rudolff, from Silesia, was a pupil of Schreiber's in Vienna, and he remained in that city as a teacher of mathematics. This work, often referred to as Coss, is considered to be the first book on algebra written in German. Schreiber "is credited with being the first German mathematician to use plus and minus signs in algebraic equations" (Stillwell, p.69). The woodcuts depict a counting house, a blacksmith's forge, a cloth dealer's shop and the gauging of a wine barrel. This volume has notes in German on the front flyleaves with dates from 1599 to 1647; at the end are 14 pages of notes in Spanish dated 6 January 1545, relating to mercantile calculations. This book was plausibly owned by a Spanish merchant in Germany.