Games.- Alberti [Antonio (Giuseppe)]

I giochi numerici, fatti arcani palesati, second edition, woodcut device on title, numerical tables throughout, 16 copper engraved plates (plate 13 loose), F1 & F5 small tears to blank upper corner, some other leaves chipped, intermittent foxing, slight staining in a few places, ‘carta rustica’, drawing depicting a face and ownership inscription on upper board, rubbed and soiled, new endpapers, [Riccardi, I, 1], 8vo, Francesco Locatelli, Venice, 1780.

*** Rare second illustrated edition on numerical games and magic tricks, including various card and handheld tricks. It is considered the first Italian work on this subject. "Contains arithmetical puzzles, tricks with cards and dice, problems relating to the theory of numbers, sleight of hand, etc." (Honeyman Coll. 47). Alberti (1712-68) was an engineer and agronomist of the city of Bagnacavallo.