Jean LEURECHON
Recreations mathématiqves. Composées De plusieurs Problemes plaisans & facetieux d'Arithmetique, Geometrie, Astrologie, Optique, Perspectiue, Mechanique, & d'autres rares & curieux Secrets : Plusieurs desquels n'ont iamais esté Imprimez. Premiere et seconde partie. La troisieme Partie contient vn Recueil de plusieurs gentilles & recreatiues inuentions de feux d'artifice. La maniere de faire toutes sortes de fuzées, simples & composées. Le tout representé par figures
[Mathematical Recreations. Comprising several pleasant and facetious Problems of Arithmetic, Geometry, Astrology, Optics, Perspective, Mechanics, and other rare and curious Secrets: many of which have never before been printed. First and second parts. The third part contains a Collection of several delightful and recreative inventions of fireworks, with the method of making all kinds of rockets, simple and compounded. The whole represented with figures]
Claude Prost|Lyon 1642-1643|10.9 x 17 cm|Relié
New edition illustrated with 79 woodcuts in the text (cf. Bibliographie der Spielbücher).
Contemporary limp vellum, plain spine rubbed and soiled, covers stained.
Light dampstaining at the head of the opening leaves, at the foot of the first part, and affecting other leaves.
The work is generally attributed to Father Leurechon (1591-1670), a Jesuit from Lorraine, professor of mathematics, philosophy and theology at the University of Pont-à-Mousson (Dictionary of Scientific Biography VIII 271), though its authorship remains disputed (cf. David Singmaster, Bibliography of Some Recreational Mathematics Books, 2004, who attributes it to Hendrik van Etten).
€1,200