Milestones of Science Books

DÜRER, Albrecht / APIAN, Peter [APIANUS, Petrus].

Underweysung der messung, mit dem Zirckel un richtscheyt in Linien ebnen unnd gantzen corporen. / Instrument Buch.

Nürnberg/Ingolstadt: Hieronymus Andreas Formschneider / Cum gratia & privilegio caesareo ad triginta annos [P. Apianus], 1525.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #004192

DÜRER, Albrecht. Underweysung der messung, mit dem Zirckel un richtscheyt in Linien ebnen unnd gantzen corporen. Nuremberg: [Hieronymus Andreas Formschneider], 1525. 90 (of 90) unnumbered leaves, including final blank Q4. Signatures: A-N⁶ O-Q⁴. Numerous woodcuts of geometrical diagrams and architectural renderings, two woodcuts on P4 verso and Q1 recto extended with pasted-in folding slips to demonstrate a point in perspective, two figures on C5 verso and K1 recto printed on pasted-in cancel slips correcting the original figures; two half-page woodcuts showing artists using Dürer's drafting apparatus for drawing in perspective, the second with Dürer's monogram and dated 1525 (as are 2 of the triumphal column cuts). Roman and gothic alphabets. Pages generally crisp and little browned only; minor spotting, finger- and ink soiling in places, pale brown staining towards upper margin; some smaller pale waterstains (stronger only to title-page); few leaves with short close tears at upper and lower margins not affecting text (ff. C6, H2-3), page F1r with small abrased spots in one woodcut; oversized woodcuts on pages H2v, H3r, I1r, M6r and P2v trimmed at upper- or fore-margin just touching woodcuts or index numbers; page I4v with word "Sonnen-uhren" added in manuscript; N5 with old ink annotations at fore-margin; ff. M6 and P1-2 reinforced at gutter; the double-page woodcut on P2v-3r mounted on stub and with tear and small hole at center-fold; the paper stripe on Q1r creased; the large woodcut on Q3r shaved by about 2 mm (1/10 inch) at right side.
[BOUND BEFORE:] APIANUS, Petrus. Instrument Buch. Ingolstadt: Cum gratia & privilegio caesareo ad triginta annos [P. Apianus], 1533. 63 (of 63) unnumbered leaves including 9 supplementary woodcut leaves with intact volvelle parts bound at the end. Gothic types. Signatures: A⁶ B-N⁴. Title with large woodcut vignette, full-page woodcut arms of the dedicatee on title verso, 84 woodcut illustrations and diagrams in text (including unassembled volvelle parts), depicting quadrants and other observational instruments, their use, and constellations. Text very little browned, occasional minor pale spotting, light light pale dampstaining in places; few leaves and plates with light finger soiling; title-leaf with tear at inner margin away from printed area; single small wormhole running through. Woodcut plates 1, 7 and 9 each with heraldic drawing added in ink, plate 4 creased.
Two works in one volume. Folio (290 x 204 mm). Bound in late 16th century stiff vellum, blue-dyed edges, original endpapers (vellum soiled and spotted, spine with old repair of spine ends and upper joint, corners bumped). Provenance: Mathematisch-Militärische Gesellschaft Zürich (engraved bookplate to front pastedown); Alfred Schmid (bookplate to first free endpaper). In all a very good copy. ----

I. FIRST EDITION of the first of Dürer's theoretical writings to be published, and one of the first mathematical works published in German. Bohatta variant 1b with the title-page including additional 3 lines of smaller text and with imprint "Gedruckt zu Nuremberg,/ Im. 1525. Jar" on last text leaf Q3 recto. The Underweysung der Messung was the first of Dürer's three theoretical works on art to be published. Conceived as a practical guide to the rules of geometry and principles of perspective for artists, architects, sculptors, stonemasons and other craftsmen, the work introduced to northern Europe a system of projection that had been refined by the artists of the Italian Renaissance. In it Dürer formulated a comprehensive and mathematically sound basis for the realistic depiction of natural objects in space. "The connexion of the beautiful with the natural, of the work of art with what is correct (i.e. mathematical) was a typical concept of the Renaissance. In the illustration of these principles lies the great historical importance of Dürer's theoretical writings.., they were the foundation of accepted aesthetic dogma until the nineteenth century" (PMM).
"Except for the Geometria Deutsch (ca. 1486-1487), a book of arithmetical rules for builders which Dürer knew and used, the Underweysung der Messung is the first mathematics book in German. With its publication Dürer could claim a place in the front ranks of Renaissance mathematicians" (DSB).
Bibliography & References: PMM 54; Norman 665; Adams D-1057; Bohatta 1b; Meder XXVI 1; DSB IV, 259; Brunet II, 912; Stillwell Science 161.
II. FIRST EDITION IN GERMAN, WITH ALL THE 9 SUPPLEMENTARY WOODCUT LEAVES PRESENT. "Apian wrote on a wide range of scholarly and scientific topics. He designed a number of ingenious astronomical instruments for measuring celestial angles -, mostly combinations of graduated scales and travelling sights on the usual lines of the times" (Wolf, History of Science).
The book is richly illustrated with a striking title woodcut, the arms of the Duke of Loubenberg to whom the volume is dedicated, and a great number of illustrations in the text, the work of H. Brosamer and M. Ostendorfer. They show instruments, charts, astronomical designs, methods of measuring, etc. Apian, who was professor of mathematics at the University of Ingolstadt, was also active as a printer. His productions, mainly his own works, are done with great care. Very few copies have survived with all the 5 original woodcut bifolios, making up one blank and 9 printed leaves (in our copy we have 2 bifolio and 1 half bifolio making up 5 leaves only). The explanation for the rarity is disclosed in the headline text of the first bifolium (not present here): that these 5 sheets, which are printed single side only, shall not be bound-in. They are intended for dissection to become part of the instruments that shall be build by the reader. The book was issued in two different editions, one with the 5 extra plates, and one without them.
Our copy is the rare variant with the title printed in black only, and with a different imprint on the title. It also contains uncut volvelles, printed on one side of the page, with each part (body of the instrument, major rotating scales, sighting vanes, etc.) separated. Apian intended that readers would cut out the individual items and assemble the instruments" (Tomash & Williams).
Bibliography & References: USTC 669172; BMC German 37; Honeyman 1:113; Houzeau & Lancaster 2398; LC/Rosenwald 460; Stillwell Science 812; Van Ortroy 104.

Price: 40,000 €  *  convert currency