Opera Mathematica, In Unum Volumen conesta, ac recognita, Opera atque studio Francisci a Schooten Leydensis, Matheseos Professoris por Francisci Vieta, Francisci a Schooten - 1646

Lugduni Batavorum: Officina Bonaventura & Abrahami Elzeviriorum, 1646 A very good copy of this rare work by Francois Viete in contemporary full vellum binding. Viete (1540-1603) was a lawyer by profession but had a passion for mathematics and is credited with making an important step in the development of algebra. He introduced the concept of letters as parameters in equations. This book contains his collected works, brought together by Frans von Schooten, a professor at Leiden University. With title page in red and black inks and fine engraving (other sections with additional use of red inks), sections with decorative head and tailpieces and initial capitals. Works arranged in 16 parts with extensive use of diagrams, formulae and tables. Section XIV, on the Gregorian Calendar, has a separate title page and 3 volvelles (discs to manipulate attached to the page) - XV has a separate title and both XIV and XV make extensive use of red inks. The vellum binding has conservation work (a separate statement of conservation works to this book can be provided on request) to provide some light cleaning and particularly to repair the bottom corner of the back board. There is a small title - Vieta - to the top of the spine. Internally there is an armorial bookplate to the front pastedown with the title Reg.Schol.Westmon. There is an ink word on a preliminary and very occasional pencil or ink annotation. There have been paper repairs to remove mould and build up the bottom corner of pages particularly to the rear of the book. This work has been expertly done to conservation standards. There is very occasional staining to a page or a slight mark but otherwise the text and volvelles are in beautifully clean condition. The book has a slight musty odour. Some ink hand written notes giving a biography of Viete and Van Schooten are enclosed - they look to be from around 1900. Please ask for more images and more detail on condition and conservation work if you are interested in the work.