This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/25/2024
[MATHEMATICS]. FINE, Oronce (1494-1555). Opere di Oratio Fineo del Delfinato: Disguise in cinque parti; Arimetica, Geometria, Cosmografia e Oriuoli, tradotti da Cosimo Bartoli. Et gli Specci, Tradotti dal Caualier Ercole Bottrigaro… Venice: Presso Francesco Franceschi Senese, 1587. 4to. Extensively illustrated throughout with woodcuts and diagrams. [viii], 81, 1-84, 1-126, 1-88, 1-[20] fols. Approximately 8 x 5 ¾”. Contemporary full vellum binding with yapp fore-edges, ink titles to spine (some wear, soiling to binding, title-page soiled with two small areas of restoration, some repaired wormholes in the first 10 leaves, some additional worm damage throughout, some dampstaining, browning to text, occasional ink notations. Very good. Scarce. FIRST ITALIAN EDITION OF THE “PROTOMATHESIS” AND “DE SPECULO USTORIO” and the only appearance of all 5 texts together in a vernacular language. “Protomathesis” is Fine’s most important work and was first published in Latin in 1532. Thereafter, only individual parts were published, occasionally in French or Latin. The short work on parabolic mirrors was first published in Latin in 1551, and only appears again in this Italian translation. The fourth work, on sundials and quadrants, is famous for the excellence of its illustrations (although they were re-cut for this edition, they are still fine). Fine was a French mathematician and cartographer; he would become the chair of mathematics at the Collège Royal in 1531. Fine was one of the most prolific authors of mathematical subjects of his age.