The sale of a first edition of the 1556 work is 'almost unheard of', says a book expert.
A first edition of The Castle of Knowledge by Robert Recorde - the man who also invented the equals sign - was published in 1556.
That was eight years before the birth of the Italian Galileo, regarded as the father of observational astronomy. It was found in a box of antiquarian books by Hansons Auctioneers, whose Jim Spencer called it an "amazing" find.He said: "It might be the most important scientific text I've ever handled. It's the first astronomical treatise to be published in English.Recorde was born in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, in 1510, and left at just 15 to study maths at Oxford.
In 1545, he went to Cambridge to study medicine, and became physician to the young King Edward VI and, after his death from TB, to Queen Mary.Mr Spencer said a client brought in a box with probably about 40 books with a range of dates.
"Robert Recorde seemed to be a bit of an unsung academic, so I feel he wasn't or isn't as well known as he deserves to be."He invented the equals sign, and he introduced the pre-existing plus and minus signs to English speakers in 1557.Mr Spencer said he could only find one other copy that sold at auction and that went for £74,200 in 2007.
Österreich Neuesten Nachrichten, Österreich Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
David Mackintosh trial: Conservative given £10k after EastEnders visitThe trial of a former MP is told how he visited the TV soap as a guest of his co-defendant's wife.
Weiterlesen »
COVID-19 Deaths Projected on Barnard Castle Walls Ahead of Dominic Cummings' TestimonyThe number of COVID-19 deaths in the UK is projected onto Barnard Castle walls as Dominic Cummings prepares to give evidence to the official inquiry. Campaign groups organize the message to question the government's handling of the pandemic.
Weiterlesen »
Boris, Carrie and Barnard Castle – what to watch for as Dominic Cummings faces Covid inquiryDominic Cummings has been frequently critical of Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock's handling of the pandemic
Weiterlesen »