Sectiones conicae in novem libros distributae, . Accesserunt sectiones pyramidum super basibus parabolicis, ellipticis, & hyperbolicis, . Cum appendice de sectionibus conicis omnium generum, . Adjecta demum est Brevis expositio propositionum septem librorum conicorum Apollonii Pergaei, .

LA HIRE, Philippe de.

Published by Etienne Michallet,, Paris,, 1685

About this Item

First and only early edition, in Latin, of a comprehensive and influential text book on conic sections, discussing the standard classical Greek work of Apollonius, the projective methods of Desargues and the application of Cartesian analytical geometry, by the artist, mathematician and astronomer Philippe de La Hire, "among the best of the followers of Desargues and Descartes" (DSB). It "seemed to be the last word on the subject" and La Hire's "pre-eminence in this field" was still acknowledged in 1738 (Kemp, p. 121). La Hire here provides the clearest and most fully developed presentation of the projective principles pioneered by Desargues, whose work became generally known through La Hire's further development and improved presentation of his ideas. With a few leaves slightly browned (2 severely) or foxed (the last leaf extensively) but otherwise in very good condition and largely untrimmed, with many deckles intact and large margins. Binding rubbed and spine damaged.l Honeyman coll. 1886; Kemp, The science of art, pp. 221-222 & passim; for La Hire: DSB VII, pp. 576-579. 19th-century boards (ca. 1820?) covered with blue paste-paper, sewn on 4 cords, with gold-tooled red vellum spine-label. With a charming woodcut headpiece at the beginning of the main text (with a perspective drawing of sliced cones and double cones in a decorative border), hundreds of woodcut diagrams in the text, woodcut tailpieces (one repeated on the title-page), 2 woodcut decorated initials (2 series) and numerous decorations built up from cast fleurons. Pages: [8], 249, [1] pp. Seller Inventory # 4671

Bibliographic Details

Title: Sectiones conicae in novem libros ...

Publisher: Etienne Michallet,, Paris,

Publication Date: 1685

Binding: Hardcover