ID 794463
Lot 153 | EULER, Leonhard (1707-1783).
Estimate value
£ 12 000 – 18 000
Dioptricae pars prima ... De explicatione principorum [Pars secunda ... De constructione telescopiorum dioptricorum. Pars tertia ... De constructione microscopiorum]. St. Petersburg: Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1769-1771.
First edition of Euler’s important work on optics, a fine uncut set in contemporary decorated boards. In his Dioptricae, Euler rejects Newton's corpuscular theory in favour of a wave theory of light. ‘Newton’s work had such authority that for more than thirty years no one thought of reviewing his conclusions. Physicists and mathematicians held to the opinion that it was impossible to make an achromatic lens by associating two different substances… [Euler] began at the point where Newton left off, and produced a lens-combination formed of two concave lenses whose intervening space was filled with water. Studying refraction in each medium and for each colour he showed that it was possible to correct colour dispersion and gave the corresponding formulae’ (Dumas, Scientific Instruments of the 17th and 18th Century and their Makers, pp. 153-4). The first part of the Dioptricae considers the properties of lenses; the second and third parts discuss the construction of the telescope and the microscope. DSB, IV, p.482; Poggendorf I, 690.
3 volumes, quarto (280 x 221mm). Erratum leaf in vol. III. 6 engraved folding tables. Contemporary green paper-backed colour-printed decorative paper (‘a Orleans chez Perdoux. No 398’) over boards, uncut (faint rubbing). Provenance: unidentified small stamp in red on verso of titles.
Special notice
No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.
Artist: | Leonhard Euler (1707 - 1783) |
---|---|
Place of origin: | Eastern Europe, Europe, Russia |
Auction house category: | Printed books |
Artist: | Leonhard Euler (1707 - 1783) |
---|---|
Place of origin: | Eastern Europe, Europe, Russia |
Auction house category: | Printed books |
Address of auction |
CHRISTIE'S 8 King Street, St. James's SW1Y 6QT London United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Preview |
| |
Phone | +44 (0)20 7839 9060 | |
Buyer Premium | see on Website | |
Conditions of purchase | Conditions of purchase |
More from Creator
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.