LA CONDAMINE, Charles Marie de (1701-1774) - photo 1
LA CONDAMINE, Charles Marie de (1701-1774) - photo 2
LA CONDAMINE, Charles Marie de (1701-1774) - photo 3
LA CONDAMINE, Charles Marie de (1701-1774) - photo 4

LA CONDAMINE, Charles Marie de (1701-1774)

Lot 104
13.12.2023 11:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 1 008
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
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ID 1105660
Lot 104 | LA CONDAMINE, Charles Marie de (1701-1774)
Estimate value
£ 1 200 – 1 800
LA CONDAMINE, Charles Marie de (1701-1774)

Journal du Voyage fait par Ordre du Roi a l'Équateur, servant d'Introduction Historique a la Mesure des Trois Premiers Degrés du Méridian. – Mesure des Trois Premiers Degrés du Méridien dans l'Hémisphere Austral. Paris: l'Imprimerie Royale, 1751.

First edition of an account of an important scientific expedition which proved Newton’s hypothesis on the sphericity of the Earth: presentation copy, inscribed by the author to the Earl of Chesterfield. In this paper, presented to the Académie des Sciences, La Condamine proposed a universal measurement of length which would be equivalent to the length of a pendulum beating once per second at the equator. La Condamine was among the scientists whom the Académie des Sciences sent to Peru in order to measure several degrees of meridian at the equator, and thus, in conjunction with a similar expedition to Lapland, settle the controversy between the Cartesians and Newtonians as to whether the earth was flattened or elongated at the poles. Norman 1249 (Mesure) & 1250 (Journal); Sabin 38479 (Journal), 38483 (Mesure).



Two volumes in one, quarto (256 x 195mm). Journal: 6 engraved plates, of which 5 folding, and one folding letterpress table; Mesure: engraved title vignette, 3 folding engraved plates, engraved headpieces, bound with 8pp. work: at end‘Nouveau projet d’une mesure invariable; proper a devenir universelle. Extrait d’un Mémoire lû à l’assemblée publique de l’Académie des Sciences, le 24 Avril 1748, par M. de la Condamine’ (neat repair to minor tear in map of Quito, occasional faint browning). Contemporary polished calf (rebacked to style preserving part of original spine label, some neat repairs). Provenance: Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773; presentation inscription from the author on front endpaper: ‘Pour Milord Chesterfield de la part de son tres humble et tres obeillant serviteur LaCondamine’).

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