PACIOLI, Luca (Lucas de Burgo S. Sepulchri; c.1445-1517) - photo 1
PACIOLI, Luca (Lucas de Burgo S. Sepulchri; c.1445-1517) - photo 2
PACIOLI, Luca (Lucas de Burgo S. Sepulchri; c.1445-1517) - photo 3
PACIOLI, Luca (Lucas de Burgo S. Sepulchri; c.1445-1517) - photo 4

PACIOLI, Luca (Lucas de Burgo S. Sepulchri; c.1445-1517)

Lot 140
10.07.2024 10:30UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 23 940
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1249711
Lot 140 | PACIOLI, Luca (Lucas de Burgo S. Sepulchri; c.1445-1517)
Estimate value
£ 20 000 – 30 000
PACIOLI, Luca (Lucas de Burgo S. Sepulchri; c.1445-1517)
Summa de arithmetica, geometria, proportioni, et proportionalita. Toscolano: Paganino Paganini, 20 December 1523.
Second edition of the most important mathematical book of the Renaissance and a comprehensive manual for entrepreneurial and mercantile activities. It is a page-for-page reprint of the first edition, even reprinting the colophon giving the original 1494 date (followed by a new colophon dated 1523). On first publication, the Summa provided a survey of all mathematical knowledge to date, including Euclidian geometry, many concepts of Fibonnacci introducing Hindu-Arabic contributions, and the first printed appearance of mathematical symbols for plus and minus and the root sign. From his earliest days as maths tutor in the household of a Venetian merchant, Pacioli was immersed in the world of applied mathematics, especially in business and commerce. His Summa notably contains the first description of double-entry bookkeeping, the very foundation of modern business, and his friends Leonardo da Vinci, Piero della Francesca, and Leon Battista Alberti recognised its value also to the field of arts, especially proportions. It was clearly a book in demand. Although almost 20 years separated the first and second editions, in fact it was rarely out of print, since the 1494 edition continued to be issued as late as c.1509 with some sheets reprinted to make up copies. Adams P-8; Goldsmiths's 15; Edit-16 28198; Sander 5368; Mortimer, Harvard Italian 347.

2 parts in one, folio (315 x 210mm). 307 leaves (of 308, lacking title). Opening text page printed in red and black with full woodcut strapwork border, full-page woodcut of finger symbolism on E4v, genealogical tree in red and black on L2r, many woodcut diagrams and illustrations, woodcut initials from several sets, including an historiated initial L depicting Pacioli and the Summa (tears in first leaf with minor loss, minor adhesion from A1 onto A2 affecting a few letters and a small section of woodcut border, dampstaining mostly prominent in first c.30 leaves, some leaves lightly browned, very occasional stain, final leaf detached); modern box. Contemporary Italian blindtooled leather over pasteboard (worn, partly defective). Provenance: Hieronoymus Palma, canon at an unidentified cathedral (?17th-century inscription on first page, an occasional marginal annotation) – Doria family, counts of Montaldeo (engraved armorial bookplate of ‘Johannis Caroli de Auria ex comitibus Montis Aldei’); by descent.
Place of origin:Italy, Europe
Auction house category:Books and manuscripts, Printed books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
10.07.2024 – 10.07.2024
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
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