December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
"A treatise of such mathematical instruments as are usually put into a portable case, containing their various uses in arithmetic, architecture, geometry, surveying, trigonometry, gunnery, &c. . . .To which is now added An Appendix Containing the Description and Use of the Gunner's Callipers." London: Printed for T. Heath and J. Nourse in the Strand: J. Hodges on London-Bridge, and J. Fuller in Ave-mary-Lane, 1757. London: Printed for T. Heath and J. Nourse in the Strand: J. Hodges on London-Bridge, and J. Fuller in Ave-mary-Lane, 1757. 8vo. xx, 188 pp. With 1 large folding copper-engraved frontisp. of mathematical instruments, 8 copper engraved plates (including one specifically illustrating the gunner's calipers. The second edition of this well-written and important scientific and mathematical instrument manual, incorporating a short history of 44 previous works on mathematical instruments spanning 200 years, with specific descriptions of particular instruments and their development. This work which is considered by Erwin Tomash to be "one of the most complete descriptions of a set of portable mathematical instruments extant," and the second edition was expanded by over a third to detail the use of Gunners Calipers, not covered or illustrated in the first edition. Robertson (1716-1776) who is perhaps best remembered for his "Elements of Navigation" considered one of the finest English-language navigation education manuals of the 18th century. CONDITION: Modern maroon cloth binding, otherwise a complete and very good copy.