Potter & Potter Auctions
Live Auction

Summer Fine Books & Manuscripts

Thu, Jul 9, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-07-09 11:00:00 2026-07-09 11:00:00 America/New_York Potter & Potter Auctions Potter & Potter Auctions : Summer Fine Books & Manuscripts https://auction.potterauctions.com/auctions/potter-potter/summer-fine-books-manuscripts-22825
We are proud to offer some of the rarest items from Ernest Hemingway, rare and important newspapers, excellent books from African-American authors, and some of the finest early printed books to come to market. Potter & Potter Auctions info@potterauctions.com
View Catalog (636)

Prev Lot
Next Lot
Lot 0

[ASTRONOMY]. GAUSS, Carl Friedrich (1777-1855). Theory of the Heavenly Bodies Moving About the Sun in Conic Sections: A Translation of Gauss's "Theori

Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500
Inquire
Starting Bid
$500
[0 Bids]Bidding History
Bid increments chart

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$30 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000

[ASTRONOMY]. GAUSS, Carl Friedrich (1777-1855). Theory of the Heavenly Bodies Moving About the Sun in Conic Sections: A Translation of Gauss's "Theoria Motus." Boston: Little, Brown, 1857. 4to. xvii, [3, blank], 326, 39 (tables), [1, list of constants], With eight engraved plates of diagrams. Publisher's brown cloth. Covers and spine blocked in blind, spine lettered in gilt. FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH OF GAUSS' CHIEF WORK ON CELESTIAL MECHANICS, 

Condition

Recased, spine and boards lightly sunned, spine edges and corners lightly bumped and worn, endleaves offset, text toned, rp. a bit bubbled. Still, a fine copy, better than usually seen.

Available payment options

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Amex
  • Diners
  • Discover
  • JCB
  • Union Pay

If your bid is successful, as an alternative to in-house shipping, we can provide you with a list of shippers. We will not be responsible for the acts or omissions of carriers or packers whether or not recommended by us. Property will not be released to the shipper without the buyer's written consent and until payment has been made in full. Packing and handling by us of purchased lots is at the entire risk of the purchaser, and Potter and Potter Auctions, Inc. will have no liability of any loss or damage to such items. Packing and shipping expenses shall be added to buyer's invoice and will reflect a charge for labor, materials, insurance, transportation, as well as actual shipper fees.

Front blank with ink presentation by "Mr. Horatio Miller." Gauss' work originally appeared in 1809. It is here translated by Charles Henry Davis (1809-1877), Commander and later Rear Admiral in the United States Navy and Superintendent of the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac. In this work, Gauss introduced the principle of curvilinear triangulation and the four formulae in spherical trigonometry known as "Gauss's Analogies," by which he was able to accurately calculate and predict orbit location. For discussions of the first edition, see Norman 879, Printing and the Mind of Man, 257n. Dibner, Heralds, 144n, Houzeau and Lancaster 11897.

Follow Us

Auctions

Specialties

Potter & Potter

Contents and design copyright © Potter & Potter Auctions.