The Elements of Geometrie - photo 1
The Elements of Geometrie - photo 2

The Elements of Geometrie

Lot 80
28.01.2025 10:00UTC -04:00
Classic
Sold
$ 27 720
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
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The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1360796
Lot 80 | The Elements of Geometrie
Estimate value
$ 10 000 – 20 000
EUCLID (fl. c.300 B.C.) The Elements of Geometrie. Translated into English by Sir Henry Billingsley (d. 1606), with a preface by John Dee (1527-1608). London: John Day, 1570.

First edition of the first complete English translation of Euclid’s Elements. This full translation by Sir Henry Billingsley, a successful London merchant who later became Lord Mayor, relied on the achievements of two earlier editors—Campanus Novara (a medieval Latin translation first printed in Venice 1482) and Bartolomeo Zamberti (a new translation from Greek into Latin printed in 1505)—and undoubtedly benefited from the involvement of John Dee who not only wrote the "very fruitfull preface" but contributed many annotations and additional theorems. "This Preface, which set out systematically the many derivatives and practical applications of arithmetic and geometry [...] established Dee's intellectual leadership among English mathematical practitioners for three generations or more" (Taylor). The printing by John Day (1522-1584) of such a large folio, complete with its folding overslips, was a monumental task, and his portrait is included both on the colophon and possibly as the bearded figure of Mercury at the foot of the title-page. The overslips were originally printed as six bifolia bound in at the end. STC 10560; Thomas-Stanford 41.

Folio (279 x 189mm). Title within an allegorical woodcut border, showing Time bringing Truth and Antiquity to light [McKerrow & Ferguson 99], geometrical diagrams throughout, woodcut initials and ornaments, 37 figures in Book XI with overslips, portrait of John Day at end (title-page laid down, lacking folding letterpress "Groundplat", without final blank, paper edges browned, first several and few later quires with fore-edge chipped and/or stabilized, a few letters lost in shoulder notes of preface, loss at lower corner to final two leaves with a few words in pen facsimile, overall soiling and rubbing). Early 20th-century quarter morocco, spine gilt lettered (spine sunned, wear to corners). Provenance: William Bird (ownership inscription dated 1815) – John Maro, Sarum (ownership inscription) – Waterloo Liberal Club (inkstamp on fore-margin of translator's preface) – J. Ernest Yalden (1870-1937; bookplate) – Charles Y. McAteer AAVSO Library (stamp on front free endpaper, library defunct).
Artist:Euclid (325 BC - 265 BC)
Place of origin:England
Auction house category:Printed books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
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USA
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14.01.2025 – 28.01.2025
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