拍品 748
  • 748

BABBAGE, H.P. THREE ITEMS

估價
500 - 800 GBP
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描述

  • A collection of 3 works, comprising:
i. Babbage, Henry Prevost (1824-1918). "Babbage's analytical engine" [in:] Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,  vol. 70, no. 6, April 1910, pp.517-520, London: Royal Astronomical Society, 1910, 8vo, original pale pink wrappers, (bought from Yelm), [T&W B68; Randell 1979 p.108], wrappers torn and detached, backstrip tornii. Babbage, Henry Prevost. "On the mechanical arrangements of the Analytical Engine of the late Charles Babbage, F.R.S.", [in:] British Association for the Advancement of Science held at Bath in September 1888. London: John Murray, 1889, pp.616-617, 8vo, original cloth, (Bath Guildhall Library, bookplate; bought from Judea Pearl, 1997), [T&W B258 and B69, F76, H96; Randell 1979 p.108 (for B69)], upper cover partially detached, binding slightly worniii. Merrifield, Charles Watkins (1827-1884), et al. Report of the committee...appointed to consider the advisability and to estimate the expense of constructing Mr. Babbage's analytical machine, and of printing tables by its means. [in:] Report of the Forty-Eighth Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science held at Dublin in August 1878, pp.92-102. London: John Murray, 1878, original cloth, (bought from Stern, 2006), [not in T&W; Origins of Cyberspace 90; Randell 1979 p.152], hinges starting8vo (3 volumes)

Condition

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when 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."

拍品資料及來源

Henry Prevost Babbage was the youngest son of Charles Babbage and after his father's death took possession of all his father's materials relating to the calculating engines. Here he reports that he was able to assemble the arithmetic unit of the analytical engine to the point where it could do simple calculations. He also explains his reasons for melting down the remaining portions of his father's Difference Engine. The report by the committee in the third paper concludes by "we are ... of the opinion that [Babbage's engine] is not more than a theoretical possibility; that is to say, we do not consider it a certainty that it could be constructed and put together so as to run smoothly and correctly, and to do the work expected of it. We cannot advise the British Association to take any steps, either by way of recommendation or otherwise, to procure the construction of Mr. Babbage's Analytical Engine..." The second paper also includes George Francis Fitzgerald's Presidential Address to Section A (Mathematical and physical sciences), pp.557-562, [T&W F76] and a review of Henry Selby Hele-Shaw's "A new sphere planimeter", pp.584-585, [T&W H96].