DE L'ARITHMETICA UNIVERSALE nella quale si contiene non solo la theorica di tutti i numeri, ma ancora la prattica appartenente a tutti i negotii humani. Trattata, & amplificata con somma eruditione, e con novi, & isquisiti modi di chiarezza. by UNICORNO, JOSEPPO mathematico eccellentissimo.:

Venice, Francesco de' Franceschi, 1598.. FIRST EDITION 1598, IN TWO PARTS WITH SEPARATE TITLE PAGES, EX BRITISH MUSEUM LIBRARY DUPLICATE COPY, Italian text, small 4to, approximately 230 x 150 mm, 9 x 6 inches, printer's device on title pages and above colophon, a few pictorial initials, many decorated initials, many diagrams, pages: [16], 1-204 (i.e. 408, numbered on rectos only), [8], 205-395, all together 814 pages, LACKS 1 LEAF (page number 349=Tttt1) in the second part and FINAL BLANK LEAF after the colophon page, rebound in full calf, maroon title label with gilt lettering between raised bands, blind decoration to spine and covers, new endpapers, all edges red. Title page slightly trimmed at fore-edge, lightly browned and faintly foxed, edges have early repairs on blank side and small repair to top of inner margin, 2 small British Museum 'duplicate' stamps on reverse of title page, 1 on reverse of second title page and 1 on colophon page, a few pages lightly browned, lower margin of 1 prelim page and 2 lower corners expertly repaired, no loss of text, 2 small corners torn off, no loss of text, occasional small pale stains, 1 small ink smudge in the text, 4 neat notes in the margins, 1 pointing hand in the margin and 7 instances of unobtrusive underlining, tiny worm track in lower margin affects 20 leaves. A very good copy. See Smith, Rara Arithmetica, pages. 412-415: 'This is one of the most elaborate treatises on arithmetic published in Italy in the sixteenth century. ... The first book treats in a detailed fashion of the fundamental operations. Unicornus, for example, gives six methods of multiplication... There is a good discussion of the two general methods of dividing, the downward ('a danda') method having as much attention as the galley plan. Fractions are also treated in Book I. Book II deals with the theory of numbers after the Boethian method. Book III treats of roots, surds, and proportion; Book IV, of the rules of three and false; and Book V, of business arithmetic, including exchange, interest, and alligation. ... (The work) is an excellent source for the study of the development of elementary mathematics. Unicornus gives a number of interesting historical references; Adams, Catalogue of Books Printed on the Continent, 1501-1600, Volume 2, page 299, No. 59; Sotheby's, The Honeyman Collection of Scientific Books and Manuscripts, Part vii, No.3016. Copac list 1 copy only in the University of London. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE. FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.