Sturmy, Samuel | "essentially a course in practical mathematics"

Sturmy, Samuel

The Mariners Magazine; or, Sturmy’s Mathematical and Practical Arts. London: Printed by E. Cotes for G. Hurlock, W. Fisher, E. Thomas, and D. Page, 1669

Folio (288 x 190 mm). Titlepage printed in red and black, frontispiece portrait, additional engraved titlepage and 10 folding plates (some with unassembled volvelles), woodcut and engraved diagrams and illustrations, 2 leaves inserted between 2D1-2, folding table, with blank leaf 3R4; portrait and additional title inserted on stubs, portrait possibly supplied, with short closed tears and restoration to outer margins, a few short splits to folding plates, scattered browning, soiling, and edge wear, worm hole to blank inner margin of 4c to end. Contemporary calf; worn and rebacked.

First edition. "This Mariners Magazine is a compendium of useful information and is essentially a course in practical mathematics. It was designed to give practical advice to seamen (and others). It did not provide the latest scientific thinking and limited itself to only the information to perform a given function... [The] work is composed of several books on the topics of navigation, instruments, surveying, gauging, astronomy, dialing, gunnery, fireworks, fortification and a summary of penalties applied for smuggling" (Tomash & Williams).

REFERENCES:

ESTC R23470; Tomash & Williams S210; Wing S6096

PROVENANCE:

Radulph Wilbraham (contemporary signature to title) — Erwin Tomash (his sale, Sotheby's London, 18 September 2018, lot 624)