Christophorus Clavius - Euclidis Elementorum Libri VI priores - 1738

Important eighteenth-century edition of Euclid's Elements, comprising the first six books on plane geometry and books XI and XII on solid geometry, accompanied by the explanations and demonstrations of Christophorus Clavius.

Christophorus Clavius (1538–1612), Jesuit mathematician and astronomer, was one of the most important figures in European mathematics between the XVI and XVII centuries. His commentary on the Elements greatly influenced the teaching of geometry.
This edition was edited by Joannes Henricus van Lom, professor of mathematics, who added a historical treatise on Euclid’s life and on the transmission of his Elements.
Particularly interesting is the illustrative apparatus, consisting of 36 folded copper-engraved plates, containing numerous geometric diagrams relating to the propositions and the proofs, inserted corresponding to the pages indicated in the upper right of the plate.

Bibliographical collatio

Copy subjected to material verification of the typographic signatures, pagination and plates, with comparison to a digitized copy of the same edition.

Preliminaries
15 sheets surveyed, including title page, dedication to the Curatoribus and Praefatio.
Signatures:
Fascicolo +: 8 sheets.
Fascicolo ++: 7 sheets.
The Praefatio is complete and ends with the typographic reference “BREVIS,” corresponding to the beginning of the following section.
Brevis narratio historica de Euclidis vita ac Elementis
LXXXVIII pages (88), distributed in 44 sheets.
Signatures:
*⁸, **⁸, ***⁸, ****⁸, *****⁸, ******⁴
Section complete according to the collatio performed.

Main geometric text
392 pages, with signatures:
A–I⁸, K–T⁸, V–Z⁸, Aa⁸, Bb⁴
The sequence of gatherings is regular and coherent with the pagination.
The text ends on page 392, on the verso of the last sheet of fascicle Bb, with the word “FINIS.”
At the end of the volume follows an independent original sheet containing the typographical Errata, printed on the recto and blank on the verso.
There are also two final blank sheets.
The position of the errata differs from that of the digitized exemplar consulted, in which it appears at the end of the Praefatio. The difference is noted for bibliographic precision.

Illustrative apparatus
36 folded copper-engraved plates, sequentially numbered I to XXXVI.
The numerical sequence is complete and coherent with the illustrative apparatus of the 1738 edition.
The bulk of the printed parts verified corresponds to the bibliographic reference of 16 unnumbered sheets, including the errata, LXXXVIII and 392 pages, in addition to the 36 folded plates.

Old full parchment binding, restored and consolidated, with preservation of the original covering. It bears stains, abrasions, creases and signs of use.
Boards firmly attached to the volume’s body, flexible spine and good opening.
Original title page printed in red and black, with a missing vignette reintegrated by a modern reproduction applied.
Internally there are browning, foxing and moisture halos of varying intensity.

The photographs document the current conditions of the volume.
Please examine carefully all images, which form an integral part of the description.

Historical and collecting interest
Edition of interest for the history of mathematics, geometry and science teaching in the eighteenth century. The work bears witness to the persistent influence of Euclid’s Elements and Clavius’s commentaries in European mathematical formation.
Particularly appreciable is the apparatus of the 36 folded copper-engraved plates, all present.
Copy with an old parchment binding preserved and consolidated, with expressly declared restoration works.