Isaac NEWTON Principia Mathematica 3rd ed

November 23, 2021

Rare Books, Documents, Photos, and Artwork

Lot 1

Isaac NEWTON Principia Mathematica 3rd ed

Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000

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Isaac NEWTON Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica [third edition]

Offered for sale by Adam Langlands of 'Shadowrock Rare Books' - for more information please contact him via email at adamlanglands@gmail.com

Sir Isaac NEWTON (1642-1727). Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica … Editio tertia aucta & emendate. London: apud Guil. & Joh. Innys, 1726. Demy quarto (9 5/8 x 7 1/2in; 243 x 188mm). Pp. [i-xxxiv,] 1-530, [i-vi, + i-ii advertisement leaf]. Engraved frontispiece portrait by George Vertue after I. Vanderbank. Half-title, imprimatur leaf at the front and advertisement leaf at the rear, title printed in red and black, engraved illustrations on p.506, numerous in text diagrams. (Leaves MM2 and MM3 with lower stitching broken so protruding from the book-block, L1 small paperfault void to lower blank margin, ).

Contemporary paneled calf, spine in seven compartments with raised bands, red morocco lettering-piece in the second compartment, the others with repeat decoration in gilt, red speckled edges (bumped, spine slightly chipped at head and foot, lettering-piece a later replacement [by Traylen], joints split, but cords holding. Provenance: John Harcourt Chichester Evelyn (1876-1922, bookseller-provided information); Charles W. Traylen (receipt dated 1968 and subsequent letter dated 1973 noting that ‘this copy came from the library of J.H.C. Evelyn… It is possible that he was a descendant of the Diarist’, catalogue extract on rear free endpaper).

Third edition, of "the greatest work in the history of science" (PMM). A fine copy of the state on Demy or ‘ordinary-size paper ‘ (Babson) – one of 1000 copies printed. William Bowyer's paper stock ledger show that a total of 1250 copies were printed: 'Superfine' 50 copies; 'Royal' 200 and and 1000 on Demy (quoted in the 'Papers of the Bib. Soc. Of America'). "This edition was the last published during the author's lifetime and the basis of all subsequent editions. It was edited by Harry Pemberton, M.D., F.R.S., and contains a new preface by Newton and a large number of alterations, the most important being the scholium on fluxions, in which Leibnitz had been mentioned by name. This has been considered an acknowledgement of Leibnitz's independent discovery of the calculus. In omitting Leibnitz's name in this edition, Newton was criticised as taking advantage of an opponent whose death had prevented any reply . . ." (Babson, p.12). Babson 13. Gray 9. Wallis 9.

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