Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1888. 8vo. Original printed wrappers, no backstrip. In ""Mathematische Annalen. Begründet durch Rudolf Friedrich Alfred Clebsch. XXXII. [32] Band. 3. Heft."" Entire issue offered. [Hilbert:] Pp. 342-50. [Entire issue: Pp. 309-456].
First publication of Hilbert's fundamental and exceedingly important paper on real algebraic geometry. ""In 1888, David Hilbert published an influential paper [the present] which became fundamental for real algebraic geometry, and which remains an inspiring source for research even today."" (Pfister & Scheiderer). David Hilbert, one of the most influential mathematicians of the 19th and early 20th centuries, is probably best known for the ""Hilbert Problems"" - a list of twenty-three problems in mathematics all unsolved at the time, and several of them were very exceedingly influential for 20th century mathematics.He is regarded as one of the founders of proof theory and mathematical logic, as well as for being among the first to distinguish between mathematics and metamathematics.""Hermann Weyl described his teacher Hilbert's style: ""It is as if you were on a swift walk through a sunny open landscape" you look freely around, demarcation lines and connecting roads are pointed out to you, before you must brace yourself to climb the hill" then the path goes straight up."" (Princeton Companion to Mathematics).
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1888. 8vo. Original printed wrappers, no backstrip and a small nick to front wrapper. In ""Mathematische Annalen. Begründet 1888 durch Rudolf Friedrich Alfred Clebsch. XXXIII.[33] Band. 2. Heft."" Entire issue offered. Internally very fine and clean. [Hilbert:] Pp. 223-6"" Pp.227-36 [Entire issue: Pp. 161-316].
First printing of Hilbert's exceedingly important and groundbreaking paper in which he proved his famous Basis Theorem that is, if every ideal in a ring R has a finite basis, so does every ideal in the polynomial ring R[x]. Hilbert had thus connected the theory of invariants to the fields of algebraic functions and algebraic varieties. When Felix Klein read the paper he wrote ""I do not doubt that this is the most important work on general algebra that the Mathematische Annalen has ever published.""Hilbert submitted a paper proving the finite basis theorem to Mathematische Annalen. However Gordan was the expert on invariant theory for the journal and he found Hilbert's revolutionary approach difficult to appreciate. He refereed the paper and sent his comments to Klein:""The problem lies not with the form ... but rather much deeper. Hilbert has scorned to present his thoughts following formal rules, he thinks it suffices that no one contradict his proof ... he is content to think that the importance and correctness of his propositions suffice. ... for a comprehensive work for the Annalen this is insufficient.""Gordan rejected the article. His - now famous - comment was: Das ist nicht Mathematik. Das ist Theologie. (i.e. This is not Mathematics. This is Theology).However, Hilbert had learnt through his friend Hurwitz about Gordan's letter to Klein and Hilbert wrote himself to Klein in forceful terms:""... I am not prepared to alter or delete anything, and regarding this paper, I say with all modesty, that this is my last word so long as no definite and irrefutable objection against my reasoning is raised.""At the time Klein received these two letters from Hilbert and Gordan, Hilbert was an assistant lecturer while Gordan was the recognised leading world expert on invariant theory and also a close friend of Klein's. However Klein recognised the importance of Hilbert's work and assured him that it would appear in the Annalen without any changes whatsoever, as indeed it did. Hilbert expanded on his methods in a later paper, again submitted to the Mathematische Annalen [1893] and Klein,after reading the manuscript, wrote to Hilbert saying:-I do not doubt that this is the most important work on general algebra that the Annalen has ever published.Later, after the usefulness of Hilbert's method was universally recognized, Gordan himself said: ""I have convinced myself that even theology has its merits"".(Klein. Development of mathematics in the 19th century. P. 311).Sometimes Hilbert's first publication of the Basis Theorem is referred to as being published in the paper ""Zur Theorie der algebraischen Gebilde"" in Göottinger Nachrichten in 1888. This, however, was published in December 1888 and the present issue was published in March.
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1888. 8vo. Bound in recent full black cloth with gilt lettering to spine. In ""Mathematische Annalen"", Volume 32., 1888. Entire volume offered. Library label pasted on to pasted down front free end-paper. Small library stamp to lower part of verso of title page. Very fine and clean. Pp. 342-350. [Entire volume: Pp. IV-600.]
First publication of Hilbert's fundamental and exceedingly important paper on real algebraic geometry. ""In 1888, David Hilbert published an influential paper [the present] which became fundamental for real algebraic geometry, and which remains an inspiring source for research even today."" (Pfister & Scheiderer). David Hilbert, one of the most influential mathematicians of the 19th and early 20th centuries, is probably best known for the ""Hilbert Problems"" - a list of twenty-three problems in mathematics all unsolved at the time, and several of them were very exceedingly influential for 20th century mathematics.He is regarded as one of the founders of proof theory and mathematical logic, as well as for being among the first to distinguish between mathematics and metamathematics.""Hermann Weyl described his teacher Hilbert's style: ""It is as if you were on a swift walk through a sunny open landscape" you look freely around, demarcation lines and connecting roads are pointed out to you, before you must brace yourself to climb the hill" then the path goes straight up."" (Princeton Companion to Mathematics). The volume contain several other papers by influential contemporary mathematicians such as Felix Klein, Hurwitz, Lie, Lilienthal and Peano.
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1909. Orig. printed wrappers. No backstrip. In. ""Mathematische Annalen. Hrsg. von Felix Klein, Walther v. Dyck, David Hilbert, Otto Rosenthal"", 67. Bd., 3. Heft. Pp. 281-432 (=3. Heft). Hilbert's paper: pp. 281-300.
First printing of a groundbreaking work in Number Theory. Edward Waring (1734-98) stated, in his ""Meditationes Algebraicae"" (1770), the theorem known now as ""Waring's Theorem"", that every integer is either a cube or the sum of at most nine cubes"" also every integer is either a fourth power of the sum of at most 19 fourth powers. He conjectured also that every positive integer can be expressed as the sum of at most r kth powers, the r depending on k. These theoremes were not proven by him, but by David Hilbert in the paper offered.Hilbert proves that for every integer n, there exists an integer m such that every integer is the sum of m nth powers. This expands upon the hypotheis of Edward Waring that each positive integer is a sum of 9 cubes (n=3, m=9) and of 19 fourth powers (n= 4, m=19).This issue also contains F. Hausdorff's ""Zur Hilbertschen Lösung des Waringschen Problems"", pp. 301-305.(Se Kline p. 609).
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1893. 8vo. Original printed wrappers, no backstrip. In ""Mathematische Annalen. Begründet 1893 durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann. 42. Band. 3. Heft."" Entire issue offered. [Hilbert:] Pp. 314-73. [Entire issue: Pp. 314-604].
First printing of Hilbert's fundamental landmark paper in which he ""INTRODUCED STUNNING NEW IDEAS WHICH HAVE DEEPLY INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN ALGEBRA AND ALGEBRAIC GEOMETRY."" (Buchberger. Gröbner bases and applications. P. 63). The ideas presented in the present paper was introduced in his 1890-paper, but here he ""called attention to the fact that his earlier results failed to give any idea of how a finite basis for a system of invariants could actually be construted. [...] To show how these drawbacks could be overcome, Hilbert thus adopted an even more general standpoint [...]. He described the guiding idea of this culminating paper of 1893 as invariants could actually be constructed"". (Hendricks. Proof theory: history and philosophical significance. P. 59) Hilbert's first work on invariant functions led him to the demonstration in 1888 of his famous finiteness theorem. Twenty years earlier, Paul Gordan had demonstrated the theorem of the finiteness of generators for binary forms using a complex computational approach. Attempts to generalize his method to functions with more than two variables failed because of the exceedingly complicated calculations involved. Hilbert realized that it was necessary to take a completely different path. Hilbert sent his results to the Mathematische Annalen. Gordan, the expert on the theory of invariants for the Mathematische Annalen, did not appreciate the revolutionary nature of Hilbert's theorem and rejected the article. His - now famous - comment was: Das ist nicht Mathematik. Das ist Theologie. (i.e. This is not Mathematics. This is Theology).Klein, on the other hand, recognized the importance of the work immediately, and guaranteed that it would be published without the slightest alterations. Encouraged by Klein and by the comments of Gordan, Hilbert extended his method in a second article, providing estimations on the maximum degree of the minimum set of generators, and he sent it once more to the Annalen. After having read the manuscript, Klein wrote to him, saying: ""WITHOUT DOUBT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK ON GENERAL ALGEBRA that the Annalen has ever published.""Later, after the usefulness of Hilbert's method was universally recognized, Gordan himself said: ""I have convinced myself that even theology has its merits"".(Klein. Development of mathematics in the 19th century. P. 311).
Julius Springer, Berlin 1924. 8vo. Bound with the original front wrapper in contemporary dark blue full cloth with gilt lettering to spine. In ""Mathematische Annalen, 92 Band, 1924."" Light writing in pencil to title page, other fine and clean throughout. [Hilbert:] 1-32 pp. [Entire volume: (2), 316 pp.].
First printing of Hilbert's important contribution to the unification of gravitational theory and electrodynamics. Hilbert stated that the present paper essentially was a reprint with insignificant alterations. This is, however, not entirely true as several Hilbert biographers have pointed out, that this version contain ""major conceptual adjustments and a recognition of its deductive structure"" (Renn, The Genesis of General Relativity, p.930). ""...it was Hilbert's aim to give not just a theory of gravitation but an axiomatic theory of the world. This lends an exalted quality to his paper, from the title, 'Die Grundlagen der Physik', The Foundations of Physics, to the concluding paragraph, in which he expressed his conviction that his fundamental equations would eventually solve the riddles of atomic structure"" (Pais: Subtle is the Lord, pp. 257-258). In Hilbert's 1915-paper he falsly believed that electromagnetism was essentially a gravitational phenomenon. ""These and other errors are expurgated in an article Hilbert wrote in 1924 [the present paper]. It is again entitled 'Die Grundlagen der Physik' and contains a synopsis of his 1915 paper and a sequel to it written a year later. Hilbert's collected works, each volume of which contains a preface by Hilbert himself, does not include these two early papers, but only the one of 1924"" (Pais, Subtle is the Lord…, p. 258)
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1895. 8vo. Original printed wrappers, no backstrip. In ""Mathematische Annalen. Begründet durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann. 46. Band. 1. Heft.""Entire issue offered. Internally very fine and clean. [Hilbert:] Pp. 91-96. [Entire issue: IV, 160 pp].
First printing of Hilbert's groundbreaking paper in which ""Hilbert's Metric"" (or Hilbert's projective metric) - and the metric in general - was introduced. The Hilbert metric an a closed convex cone that can be applied to various purposed in non-Euclidean geometryThe usefulness of Hilbert's metric were made clear in 1957 by Garrett Birkhoff who showed that the Perron-Frobenius theorem for non-negative matrices and Jentzch's theorem for integral operators with positive kernel could both be proved by an application of the Banach contraction mapping theorem in suitable metric spaces. (Serrin. Hilbert's Matric. P. 1).
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1891. 8vo. Original printed wrappers, no backstrip. In ""Mathematische Annalen. Begründet durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann. 38. Band. 3. Heft."". (Entire issue offered). Pp. 315-460 a. 5 lithographed colourplates. Plates with a dampstain. The plates does not belong to Hilbert's paper). Hilbert's paper: pp. 459-460.
First appearace of Hilbert's importent papaer in which he introduces his space-filling curve or the Hilbert-Curve. He constructed an example of a curve that passed through every point of a square by a series of successive approximations. At each stage every square is divided into four equal smaller squares and the curve replaced.Although it was Peano [1890] that produced the first space-filling curves, it was Hilbert (in the paper offered) who first popularized their existence and gave an insight into their generation. Space-filling curves are commonly used to reduce a multidimensional problem to a one-dimensional problem" the curve is essentially a linear transversal of the discrete multidimensional space.
Leipzig, B. G. Teubner, 1887. 8vo. Bound in recent full black cloth with gilt lettering to spine. In ""Mathematische Annalen"", Volume 30, 1887. Entire volume offered. Library label pasted on to pasted down front free end-paper. Small library stamp to lower part of title title page and verso of title page. Very fine and clean. Pp. 15-29" 437-441" Pp. 561-570. [Entire volume: IV, 596 pp.].
First printing of these early three papers by Hilbert. David Hilbert, one of the most influential mathematicians of the 19th and early 20th centuries, is probably best known for the ""Hilbert Problems"" - a list of twenty-three problems in mathematics all unsolved at the time, and several of them were very exceedingly influential for 20th century mathematics.He is regarded as one of the founders of proof theory and mathematical logic, as well as for being among the first to distinguish between mathematics and metamathematics.""Hermann Weyl described his teacher Hilbert's style: ""It is as if you were on a swift walk through a sunny open landscape" you look freely around, demarcation lines and connecting roads are pointed out to you, before you must brace yourself to climb the hill" then the path goes straight up."" (Princeton Companion to Mathematics). The present volume contain several other papers by influential contemporary mathematicians.
Berlin, Stockholm, Paris, Almqvist & Wiksell, 1894. 4to. Bound in contemporary half cloth with gilt lettering to spine. In ""Acta Mathematica"", Vol, 18, 1894. Entire volume offered. Stamps to title page and light wear to extremities, otherwise a fine and clean copy. Pp. 155-59.[Entire volume: (4), 421, (2) pp].
First printing of Hilbert's paper in which he introduced The Hilbert Matrix. In linear algebra, a Hilbert matrix is a square matrix with entries being the unit fractions. The Hilbert matrix is symmetric and positive definite and is also totally positive (meaning the determinant of every submatrix is positive). The Hilbert matrix is an example of a Hankel matrix.
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1893. 8vo. Original printed wrappers, no backstrip and a small nick to front wrapper. In ""Mathematische Annalen. Begründet 1868 durch Rudolf Friedrich Alfred Clebsch. 43. Band. 2. und 3. (Doppel-)Heft.""Entire issue offered. Internally very fine and clean. [Hilbert:] Pp. 216-19. [Entire issue: Pp. 145-456].
First publication of Hilbert's important contribution to transcendental number theory which anticipates Hilbert's seventh problem, the seventh of twenty-three problems proposed by Hilbert in 1900 which became of seminal importance to 20th century mathematics. A transcendental number is a number which is not algebraic-that is, it is not a root of a non-constant polynomial equation with rational coefficients. The most prominent examples of transcendental numbers are pi and e. Euler was the first person to define transcendental numbers - The name ""transcendentals"" comes from Leibniz in his 1682 paper where he proved sin x is not an algebraic function of x.
Leipzig, B. G. Teubner, 1909. 8vo. Bound in contemporary half calf with gilt lettering to spine. In ""Mathematische Annalen"", 67 band. 1909. Bookplates to pasted down front free end-paper and library stamp to verso of title page. Top half of spine is detached. Bookblock, however, still firmly attached. Fine and clean. Pp. 281-300. [Entire volume: IV, 575 pp.].
First printing of a groundbreaking work in Number Theory. Edward Waring (1734-98) stated, in his ""Meditationes Algebraicae"" (1770), the theorem known now as ""Waring's Theorem"", that every integer is either a cube or the sum of at most nine cubes"" also every integer is either a fourth power of the sum of at most 19 fourth powers. He conjectured also that every positive integer can be expressed as the sum of at most r kth powers, the r depending on k. These theoremes were not proven by him, but by David Hilbert in the paper offered.Hilbert proves that for every integer n, there exists an integer m such that every integer is the sum of m nth powers. This expands upon the hypotheis of Edward Waring that each positive integer is a sum of 9 cubes (n=3, m=9) and of 19 fourth powers (n= 4, m=19).This issue also contains F. Hausdorff's ""Zur Hilbertschen Lösung des Waringschen Problems"", pp. 301-305.(Se Kline p. 609).
Berlin, Julius Springer, 1923. Later full cloth. In: ""Mathematische Annalen begründet durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann."", 88. Bd. (4),312 pp. Hilbert's paper: pp. 151-165. The whole volume offered.
First edition as a continuation of his paper from 1922 ""Neubegründung der Mathematik. Erste Mitteilung"".""This articlee, delivered as a lecture to the deutsche Naturforscher Gesellschaft in Leipzig, September 1922, is a sequel to (neubegründung...), and brings Hilbert's proof theory to maturity. Hilbert here introduces several technical refinements and clarification to his theory. Specifically: (i) he improves the formal system by adding a special sign for formal negation...(ii) he refines his account of the distinction between formal language and the metalanguage....(iii) he outlines a consistency proof for an elementary, quantifier-free formal system of number-theory. (iv) he begins to extend his proof theory to analysis and set theory....sketches a strategy for proving the consistency of a version of Zermel's axiom of choice for real numbers...(etc. etc). (William Ewald in from Kant to Hilbert, vol. II, pp.1134-35).
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1910. 8vo. Original printed wrappers, no backstrip and a small nick to front wrapper. In ""Mathematische Annalen. Begründet durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann. 68. Band. 4. Heft."" Entire issue offered. Internally very fine and clean. [Hilbert:] Pp. 445-71. [Entire issue: Pp. 445-572].
First printing of Hilbert's obituary over Minkowki. They had a life long friendship.""Minkowski was born of German parents who returned to Germany and settled in Königsberg [now Kaliningrad, R.S.F.S.R.] when the boy was eight years old. His older brother Oskar became a famous pathologist. Except for three semesters at the University of Berlin, he received his higher education at Köningsberg, where he became a lifelong friend of both Hilbert, who was a fellow student, and the slightly older Hurwitz, who was beginning his professorial career. Hilbert’s education at Königsberg and his close friendship with Hermann Minkowski both stimulated his interest in physics."" (DSB).
Leipzig, Teubner, 1910. 8vo. Without wrappers. Extracted from ""Mathematische Annalen. Begründet 1868 durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann. 68. Band"". Pp. 445-471.
First edition of Hilbert's obituary over Herbert Minkowski. Minkowski, Hilbert's ""best and truest friend"" (Reid, Hilbert P. 121), died prematurely of a ruptured appendix in 1909. Minkowski and Hilbert, both natives of Königsberg would exercise a reciprocal influence over each other throughout their scientific careers.
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1898. Orig. printed wrappers, no backstrip. In: ""Mathematische Annalen begründet durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann."", 51. Bd., 1. Heft. The whole issue offered (=Heft 1). IV,160 pp. Hilbert's paper pp. 1-127.
First edition of Hilbert's famous report on algebraic numbers.""The work on algebraic number theory was climaxed in the nineteenth century by Hilbert's famous report on algebraic numbers. This report is primarely an account of what had been done during the century. However Hilbert reworked all of this earlier theory and gave a new, elegant and powerfull methods of securing these results. He had begun to create new ideas in algebraic number theory from about 1892 on and one of the new creations on Galoisian number fields was also incorporated in the report."" (Morris Kline in ""Mathematical Thoughts..."" pp. 825).
Chicago, Open Court, 1902. Small 8vo. Orig. full red cloth, gilt. A rather faint dampstain along first hinge on frontcover, otherwise fine. VII,143 pp.
First English edition of Hilbert's ""Grundlagen der Geometrie"" from 1899, one of the most influential publications in 2oth Century mathematics.Throughout the 19th century geometry was developed far beyond our intuitive conception of space" hyperbolic geometry was discovered by Gauss, Bolyai, and Lobachevsky and elliptic geometry by Riemann. However, Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry still involved an intuitive idea about the concepts 'point', 'line', 'lies on', 'between', etc. In his 'Grundlagen' Hilbert set out to give a strictly formal formulation of geometry were points, lines, planes are nothing more than abstract symbols and concepts as 'lies on' are simply algebraic relations between these symbols. Through his method Hilbert could analyse independence and completeness of the axioms for geometry and he presented a new smaller set of axioms for Euclidean geometry. It can not be said that the 'Grundlagen' contains new and surprising discoveries, its importance lies in the great influence which Hilbert's method had on all fields of mathematics, and even other sciences as physics, chemistry, and biology. The 'Grundlagen' initiated a whole new paradigm shift and eventually evolved mathematics, throughout the 20th century, into a network of axiomatic formal systems.
Berlin, Julius Springer, 1923. 8vo. Full cloth. Spine gone. In: ""Mathematische Annalen begründet durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann."", 88. Bd. (4),312 pp. (Entire volume offered). Hilbert's paper: pp. 151-165. Internally clean and fine.
First edition as a continuation of his paper from 1922 ""Neubegründung der Mathematik. Erste Mitteilung"".""This articlee, delivered as a lecture to the deutsche Naturforscher Gesellschaft in Leipzig, September 1922, is a sequel to (neubegründung...), and brings Hilbert's proof theory to maturity. Hilbert here introduces several technical refinements and clarification to his theory. Specifically: (i) he improves the formal system by adding a special sign for formal negation...(ii) he refines his account of the distinction between formal language and the metalanguage....(iii) he outlines a consistency proof for an elementary, quantifier-free formal system of number-theory. (iv) he begins to extend his proof theory to analysis and set theory....sketches a strategy for proving the consistency of a version of Zermel's axiom of choice for real numbers...(etc. etc). (William Ewald in from Kant to Hilbert, vol. II, pp.1134-35).
Chicago, Open Court, 1902. Small 8vo. Orig. full red cloth. Wear to topof spine. Old owners name on title-page. VII,143 pp., textfigs. Clean and fine.
First English edition of Hilbert's ""Grundlagen der Geometrie"" from 1899, one of the most influential publications in 2oth Century mathematics. Throughout the 19th century geometry was developed far beyond our intuitive conception of space" hyperbolic geometry was discovered by Gauss, Bolyai, and Lobachevsky and elliptic geometry by Riemann. However, Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry still involved an intuitive idea about the concepts 'point', 'line', 'lies on', 'between', etc. In his 'Grundlagen' Hilbert set out to give a strictly formal formulation of geometry were points, lines, planes are nothing more than abstract symbols and concepts as 'lies on' are simply algebraic relations between these symbols. Through his method Hilbert could analyse independence and completeness of the axioms for geometry and he presented a new smaller set of axioms for Euclidean geometry. It can not be said that the 'Grundlagen' contains new and surprising discoveries, its importance lies in the great influence which Hilbert's method had on all fields of mathematics, and even other sciences as physics, chemistry, and biology. The 'Grundlagen' initiated a whole new paradigm shift and eventually evolved mathematics, throughout the 20th century, into a network of axiomatic formal systems.
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1887. 8vo. Bound in recent full black cloth with gilt lettering to spine. In ""Mathematische Annalen"", Volume 28., 1887. Entire volume offered. Library label pasted on to pasted down front free end-paper. Small library stamp to lower part of verso of title page. Very fine and clean. Pp. 381-446. [Entire volume: Pp. IV, 600.]
First printing of Hilbert's ""Habilitationsschrift"", a fundamental work on algebraic invariants. With this he meant to revolutionize the feld by several new methods thatplay no part in the 1888 proof but would reappear to some extent in Hilbert’s (1891-92" 1893) response to Gordan’s criticism. By that time Hilbert’s resultsplus further ones by Gordan would solve Gordan’s problem.
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1903. Orig. printed wrappers, no backstrip. In: ""Mathematische Annalen begründet durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann."", 57. Bd., 2 Heft. Pp. 137-264. The whole issue offered (Heft 2). Hilbert's paper:pp. 137-150 a. 7 textfigs.
First edition and first printing of Hilbert's importent proof of the possibility of the non-euclidean parallel-construction, in which he showes that only with the aid of ruler and compass it is possible to draw with the samer instruments, the common perpendicular to two lines which are not parallel and do not meet each other (the non-intersecting lines), the common parallel to the two lines which bound an angle"" and the line which is perpendicular to one of the bounding lines of an acute angle and parallel to the other, and how these constructions can be carried out. (Bonola: Non-Euclidean Geometry). The paper was reprinted in the second edition of his ""Grundlagen der Geometrie"" as Appendix III. (Sommerville: 1903 p. 196).
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1912. 8vo. Bound in half cloth with the original wrappers. Marbled boards. In ""Mathematische Annalen. Herausgegeben von A. Clebsch und C. Neumann. 73. Band, Heft 1-4, 1912"". Black leather title label to spine with gilt lettering. Library label pasted on to top of spine and library stamp to title page. Light writing in pencil to front wrapper. [Hilbert:] Pp. 95-108. [Entire issue: IV, (2), 599, (1)].
First printing of Hilbert's paper on on the concept of the class of differential equations.The issue contain many other papers by contemporary mathematicians.
Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1887. 8vo. Original printed wrappers, no backstrip. In ""Mathematische Annalen. Begründet durch Alfred Clebsch und Carl Neumann. 28. Band. 3. Heft."". (Entire issue offered). Pp. 309-456. Hilbert's paper: pp. 381-446.
This is Hilbert's ""Habilitationsschrift"", a fundamental work on algebraic invariants.
Leipzig, B. G. Teubner, 1894. 8vo. Bound with the original wrappers in contemporary half calf. In ""Mathematische Annalen"", Volume 45., 1894. Entire volume offered. Library label to upper part of spine. Extremities with wear, internally very fine and clean. Pp. 309-340. [Entire volume: IV, 599 pp.].
First printing of Hilbert's influential paper on the theory of quadratic number fields. Hilbert's work enabled mathematicians to attack successfully the theory of quadratic forms with any number of variables and with any algebraic numerical coefficients. This lead in particular to the interesting problem: to solve a given quadratic equation with algebraic numerical coefficients in any number of variables by integral or fractional numbers belonging to the algebraic realm of rationality determined by the coefficients.The present volume contain several other papers by influential contemporary mathematicians.
Leipzig, B. G. Teubner, 1906. 8vo. In the original printed wrappers, without backstrip. In ""Mathematische Annalen, 62. Band., 3. Heft., 1906."". A fine and clean copy. Pp. 351-370. [Entire issue: Pp. 329-448.].
First printing of Hibert's important paper in which he addressed a number of topics in the Calculus of Variations and thereby extended the ideas given in his account of the 23rd problem. In contrast with Hilbert's other 22 problems, his 23rd is not so much a specific ""problem"" as an encouragement towards further development of the calculus of variations. His work in the present paper led to a modern definition of the field.