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an old book with a drawing of a compass and a ruler
Jeschke Jádi Auctions Berlin

Estimate €300 - €400
Sale commission
Description
Astronomy Woepcke, Franz On an Arabic astrolabe held in the Royal Library in Berlin. With three copper plates. Berlin, Royal Academy of Sciences (for Dümmler), 1858. Title page, 31 pp., + plates. 4° original publisher’s paperback (original printed covers). Poggendorff II, 1353. - First off-print of the seminal treatise by the German-French orientalist and historian of mathematics Franz Woepcke (1826–1864) on the Arabic astrolabe in the Royal Library in Berlin, which had been donated to the collection by A. Sprenger. The text first appeared in the Proceedings of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Berlin for the year 1858 and is presented here in this separate edition in its original covers. The three engraved plates depict the Arabic astrolabe, made in Toledo in 1029, from the front and rear; the instrument is attributed to Muhammad ibn al-Saffar, one of the leading figures of the 11th-century Toledo school of instrument-making, whose astrolabes later found their way into various European collections. Woepcke, who at that time (1856–1858) was working as a teacher of mathematics and physics at the French Gymnasium in Berlin, combined expertise in the history of mathematics and Oriental studies in a rare way; his works on Arabic astrolabes, alongside his editions of Omar Khayyam and al-Karkhi, rank among his most significant contributions to the study of the history of Arabic science. - A well-preserved copy in the original printed publisher’s wrappers. Astronomy. – With three engraved plates. Berlin, Royal Academy of Sciences (for Dümmler), 1858. Title page, 31 pp., + plates. 4°. Original publisher’s wrappers (printed original wrappers). Poggendorff II, 1353. - First separate edition of the seminal treatise by the German-French orientalist and historian of mathematics Franz Woepcke (1826–1864) on the Arabic astrolabe held in the Royal Library in Berlin, which had been donated to the collection by A. Sprenger. The text first appeared in the *Abhandlungen der Königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin* for the year 1858, and is presented here in this separate edition in the original wrappers. The three engraved plates depict, from the front and rear, the Arabic astrolabe made in Toledo in the year 1029; the instrument’s maker is believed to be Muhammad ibn al-Saffar, one of the leading figures of the eleventh-century Toledo school of instrument-making, whose astrolabes later found their way into various European collections. Woepcke, who at that time (1856–1858) worked as a teacher of mathematics and physics at the French Gymnasium in Berlin, combined in his writings a historical mastery of mathematics with Orientalist scholarship in a manner rarely equalled; his works on Arabic astrolabes rank, alongside his editions of Omar Khayyam and al-Karkhi, amongst his most significant contributions to the study of the history of Arabic science. – A fine copy in the original printed publisher’s wrappers. This lot is subject to standard tax. A 24.95% buyer’s premium is payable on the hammer price, and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offset Prints, Photographs) is payable on the final invoice amount within the European Union. This lot is subject to the standard tax regime. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.
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About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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