Pook & Pook Presents Early Copies of Newton’s Method of Fluxions and Burton’s The Anatomy of Melancholy

In the early 18th century, a controversy between great minds rocked the world of academic mathematics. Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz argued over who had first invented calculus. Leibniz technically published his mathematical theories first in 1684 with “Nova Methodus pro Maximis et Minimis,” shared in the Acta Eruditorum scientific journal. However, Isaac Newton laid claim to inventing calculus long before then. In 1666, he started developing the concepts of calculus in Method of Fluxions, a collection of writings that remained unpublished for decades. A first edition copy of Newton’s important publication is available in Pook & Pook, Inc.’s upcoming Photography, Prints & Ephemera sale. Bound in brown leather, this copy was printed by Henry Woodfall and sold by John Nourse. 

Other vintage books in the sale include a first edition copy of Robert Burton’s The Anatomy of Melancholy. Published in 1621, the encyclopedic book ambitiously tackles the subject of melancholia, today called clinical depression. Burton used medical, philosophical, cultural, and theological sources to satirically explore his subject. Also available is a selection of American ephemera, including a collection of political signatures from Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, and others. More contemporary lots range from a grouping of Fight Club memorabilia and photographs by Robert Frank. View the full catalog of this and other online auctions on Bidsquare.