Details

Subject(s)

• Balances (Weighing instruments)—Early works to 1800 [Browse]
• Hydrostatics—Early works to 1800 [Browse]
• Mechanics—Early works to 1800 [Browse]
• Scales (Weighing instruments)—Early works to 1800 [Browse]

Former owner

Schoenberg, Lawrence J. [Browse]

Summary note

Substantial sections from an illustrated treatise on the measurement of weight, with a historical introduction to theories of gravity and weighing in Greek and Arabic science; tables of densities of substances including metals, precious stones, solids, and liquids; and descriptions of different types of balances. 26 diagrams and 18 tables with a few marginal notes. A few catchwords have been added by later hands. Damage to edges of many leaves.

Notes

• Binding: Unbound, with some partial gatherings still joined or repaired at gutter.
• Decoration: 26 diagrams and 18 tables in red and black ink; rubrications in red.
• Layout: Written in 15 long lines.
• Ms. codex.
• Origin: Item is undated, likely copied sometime between the last half of the 13th century and the first half of the 14th century.
• Pagination: Paper, 98 leaves; [3-18, 37-38, 43-78, 83-94, 97-188, 191-192, 231-232, 235-240, 243-244, 247-248, 261-276, 285-292]; modern pagination in pencil, upper outer corners.
• Script: Written in naskh in black ink; partially pointed, with headings in larger tawqīʻ.
• Title from table of contents (pages 16, 17).

Location of originals

• Original Columbia, Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
• OPenn University of Pennsylvania Libraries.

Language note

Arabic.

Provenance

• Deposit by Lawrence J. Schoenberg and Barbara Brizdle, 2011.
• Gift of Barbara Brizdle Schoenberg, 2016.
• Sold by Sam Fogg Limited, cat. 22 (2000), to Lawrence J. Schoenberg.

References

Described in Transformation of knowledge: early manuscripts from the collection of Lawrence J. Schoenberg (London: Paul Holberton, 2006), pages 114-115 (LJS 386).

Cite as

UPenn LJS 386.

Other title(s)

Book of the balance of wisdom.

OCLC

792895897

Original language

• ميزان الحكمة.
• كتاب ميزان الحكمة.

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