LA GNOMONIQUE OU L'ART DE TRACER DES CADRANS OU HORLOGES SOLAIRES sur toutes sortes de surfaces, par differentes pratiques. Avec les demonstrations geometriques de toutes les operations.

Paris, Estienne Michallet, 1682.. FIRST EDITION 1682, 2 parts in 1 volume, French text, 12mo, approximately 160 x 90 mm, 6½ x 3½ inches, 6 folding engraved plates, woodcut head- and tailpieces and initials, pages: [3], 4-89, 100-194, (i.e. 184), [54] - mostly tables, missing the final blank leaf, jump in page numbering is in all copies, collated and guaranteed complete, bound in full 20th century morocco, blind rules to covers, raised bands, blind rules and gilt lettering to spine, edges speckled red, marbled endpapers. 2 signatures on title page, 1 very faint, edges of title page slightly browned, tiny wormhole in upper margin from title page to page 157, sometimes affecting running title, final unnumbered page browned at edges, otherwise contents clean and bright, plate I has a couple of misfolds. Binding tight and firm. A very good copy of the first edition. See: Library Hub Discover, Cambidge University, for collation. Philippe de la Hire (1640 - 1718) was a French mathematician best known for his work on conic sections, geodesy and astronomy. He was elected to the Académie Royale des Sciences in 1678 and in 1683 he was appointed to the chair of mathematics at the College Royale. 4 years later he was appointed, in addition, to the chair of architecture at the Academie Royale. Geometry which he had studied during 4 years in Italy was a special interest of his. In this work on dialling he considers the proper design and construction of sundials, devoting a large section to instructions for determining the correct position of the lines on the dial-plate. The 54 unnumbered pages contain Tables of the Sun's Declination for the years 1681-1684 plus a Table of the Differences of Meridians of the most considerable places in the whole world, in respect of Paris. See: Library Hub Discover. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE. FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.