The Honeyman-Tomash copy

RIESE, Adam.

Rechenung nach der Lenge, auff den Linihen und Feder. Darzu forteil und Behendigkeit die Proportiones, Practica genant.

Leipzig: Jakob Bärwald, 1550.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #003077

4to (184 x 144 mm). [4], 196 leaves, woodcut portrait of the author on title, woodcut initial. Early 19th-century half vellum, spine with gilt-lettered label (soiling of boards and spine, spine label chipped in upper right corner, little chipping of paper at board edges). Text somewhat browned, minor occasional spotting and faint, mainly marginal, foxing, first 3 leaves with tiny hole in text, small occasional ink smudges, a few ink corrections in text. Provenance: Samuel Linse (ownership inscription dated 1660 on f. 196v); Robert B. Honeyman (bookplate and ink note to front pastedown 'Rare - a nice copy' dated 1931); Paul C. Martin; Erwin Tomash (bookplate to front pastedown). ----

Norman 1834; Tomash & Williams R93 (this copy); Honeyman 2652 (this copy); Hoock & Jeannin R7.29; Smith, Rara arithmetica, pp.250-252; Cantor II, 421; Kästner I, 108; DSB XI, p.457; Adams R-535. - FIRST EDITION of "Riese's fourth, and last, arithmetic text. It is an expanded version of his earlier arithmetic books in both the number of examples and content." (Tomash & Williams). "Represents the culmination of Riese's work, and is the best exponent of the practical arithmetic of the middle of the century in Germany" (Smith). "According to Koyré (Taton), this book, the best of its kind in the 16th century, was extremely popular, 38 editions appearing in the course of the century" (Stillwell II, 221). A comprehensive work, which far surpassed his books written at Erfurt, especially in the number of examples. "While he had apparently finished most of the writing by 1525, the book was not published until 1550 because he could not afford the printing costs - Elector Maurice of Saxony eventually advanced them. It contains material on elementary arithmetic done both on the table abacus and with Hindu-Arabic numerals, but unlike his approach in his other arithmetic book, here he assumes some knowledge of simple operations - for example, he does not bother to give a multiplication table. It contains a section on gauging in which there is a discussion of roots of numbers. Riese's presentation of the table of roots has often been cited as a precursor to decimal fractions - however, it lacks the use of the decimal point." (Tomash & Williams). "Riese far surpassed his predecessors in the presentation of his material; it was clear and orderly, and proceed methodically from the simple to the more difficult" (DSB). The title page contains an impressive portrait of a full-bearded Riese. The portrait's circumferential inscription "Anno 1550 Adam Ries seines Alters im LVIII" (anno 1550 Adam Ries of his age in the LVIII), gives the only known indication for the year of his birth. Riese was a native of Staffelstein near Bamberg and died in 1559. - Visit our website for additional images and information.

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