07-20-201807-21-2018
Skinner Auctions
Skinner AuctionsBoston MA
3117BBoston
July 20, 2018 12:00 PMCalender
106

Leybourn, William (1626-1716) The Art of Numbring by Speaking-Rods: Vulgarly termed Nepeirs Bones.

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Auction: Books & Manuscripts - 3117BLocation: BostonDate / Time: July 20, 2018 12:00PM

Description:

Leybourn, William (1626-1716) The Art of Numbring by Speaking-Rods: Vulgarly termed Nepeirs Bones. London: Printed by T[homas] B[raddyll] for H[annah] Sawbridge, at the Bible on Ludgate-Hill, 1685. Second edition, 12mo, illustrated with folding engraved table; rare; no auction sales since 1966; ESTC lists four U.S. copies; bound in full modern red morocco, 4 7/8 x 2 3/4 in.

"Napier's bones is a manually-operated calculating device created by John Napier of Merchiston for calculation of products and quotients of numbers. The method was based on Arab mathematics and the lattice multiplication used by Matrakci Nasuh in the Umdet-ul Hisab and Fibonacci's work in his Liber Abaci. The technique was also called Rabdology. Napier published his version in 1617 in Rabdology, printed in Edinburgh, Scotland, dedicated to his patron Alexander Seton." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier%27s_bones)

A4 (title, A3, two unsigned leaves),B-D12, E7 (lacking E8).
http://estc.bl.uk/R20104
Estimate $3,000-5,000


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Keywords

Alexander Seton, London, Scotland, United States