From Fine Books & Collections:
LUCA PACIOLI (1447-1517). Summa de arithmetica, geometria, proporzioni e proporzionalità. Venice: Paganinus de Paganinis, November 1494. PRICE REALIZED: $1,215,000
New York – On June 12, the Christie’s New York Summa de Arithmetica: The Birth of Modern Business and the Spring Fine Books and Manuscripts Including Americana auctions achieved a total of $4,693,750. The dedicated single-lot sale for Luca Pacioli’s Summa de Arithmetica (1447-1517) realized $1,215,000 after two minutes of competitive bidding between the telephones and the room.
Notable results included Edgar Allan Poe’s gold pocket watch bearing his engraved name within, which realized $250,000; signed galley proofs of Francis Crick and James Watson’s articles on DNA: “Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids,” which achieved $350,000, exceeding the high estimate of $250,000; a first French edition of Karl Bodmer’s Voyage dans l’intérieur de l’Amérique du Nord, which sold for $187,500; and Marcus Elieser Bloch’s Ichthyologie, our Histoire naturelle, generale et particuliere des poisson, which realized $100,000....MOREIt wasn't me.
And if it wasn't you, but you have an interest in what all the hubbub (in certain circles) was about, here is Christie's 2-minute promotional video and commentary.
Additionally, if your Renaissance Italian (Tuscan dialect) is up to it, ETH Zurich has an online copy.
If you prefer English translation here is the Pacioli Society's 500th anniversary commemorative edition hosted by Jeremy Cripps.
Previously:
June 7
For Sale, A Book That Marks The Birth Of Modern Business [upper bracket]
July 2012
"How a Medieval Friar Forever Changed Finance"
May 2013
Steve Keen on Quantitative Easing and Double Entry Bookkeeping
Sepetmber 2015
Signposts: It's The End Of Accounting As We Know It
November 2015
"Of Trading and the Perfect Trader" (and Izabella still writes like a boy)
