Rara Arithmetica. A Catalogue of the arithmetics written before the year MDCI with a description of those in the Library of George Arthur Plimpton of New York

Ginn and Company, Boston and London, first edition, 1908. Cloth, 8vo, paper spine label,. xvi, 508 pp, 9 plates, numerous illustrations. Over 550 entries. George Plimpton, a New York educational publisher, was a determined and serious collector of Americana and early textbooks.With his academic collaborator, Prof. David Smith, Plimpton amassed an unparalleled collection of European and American mathematical texts, leading to the production of this important bibliographical catalogue, which provides full descriptions with useful annotations and numerous facsimiles. Part 2 is devoted to manuscripts, indexes of dates, names, places and subjects. G. A. Plimpton died in 1936, and his collection is now in the Low Memorial Library at Columbia University, New York. "[Smith's] description of ..Plimpton's books...is particulary full, even including content summaries. The catalogue was aimed at students of the history of mathematics." - J. Overmeier , in Thornton & Tully, 4th edn. Stillwell: "Lists over 550 works, in nearly 1,200 editions, issued during "the formative period in the history of printed arithmetics." Of these about 25 are fifteenth century imprints and the remainder are of the sixteenth century. Works on algebra and geometry are included only when they treat also of arithmeticor are of value in the study of the history of arithmetic. Well illustrated and annotated, with a view to the needs of the bibliographer. Arranged chronologically by first editions, with a subject and place index at the end. Worn at head and tail of spine, bumped at corners and top of front board, bookplate on front pastedown endpaper, shelfnumber on front free endpaper, contents mildly agetoned.