Archimedes | De iis quae vehuntur in aqua libri duo, a Frederico Commandino... [Bound with:] Federico Commandino. Liber de centro gravitatis solidorvm, Bologna, 1565

Archimedes

De iis quae vehuntur in aqua libri duo, a Federico Commandino... [Bound with:] Federico Commandino. Liber de centro gravitatis solidorvm. Bologna: Alessandro Benaci, 1565

First edition of Commendino's treatise on the centre of gravity in solid bodies, derived from his revised translation of Archimedes's short work on bodies floating in water, as published in 1543 in Latin by Niccolo Tartaglia.

The placement of a manuscript title on the bottom edge of the textblock on this copy gives an insight into how one of its early modern owners preferred to shelve their books. A separate horizontal title on the spine in a different early modern hand records another horizontal early modern shelving preference (horizontal with the spine—not the textblock—facing outwards). The change from horizontal to vertical shelving only become commonplace in the early seventeenth century, and a paper label affixed to the tail of the spine giving a later shelfmark shows how the book was then eventually stored upright with spine facing outwards, in the orientation that we are familiar with today.

2 works in one volume, 4to (206 x 153 mm). First work with 66 woodcut diagrams, second with 81; the odd bit of marginal spotting and soiling, minor wormhole to final two text leaves of second work, not affecting text. Contemporary limp vellum, manuscript title ("Archimedes") to bottom edge of textblock, another ?later early modern remains of vellum ties.

REFERENCE

Edit16 CNCE 2319 & 12872

PROVENANCE

M.L. Borromeo Arese/ M. Favia del Core (bookplate)