Vìsnik Odesʹkogo Nacìonalʹnogo Unìversitetu: Bìblìotekoznavstvo, Bìblìografoznavstvo, Knigoznavstvo (Sep 2015)
BOOKPLATES, OWNERS’ RECORDINGS AND DEDICATORY INSCRIPTIONS ON THE BOOKS FROM THE BOOK COLLECTION OF THE MATHEMATICIAN I. YU. TIMTCHENKO
Abstract
The professor of Novorossiysky (Odessa) University I. Yu. Timchenko (1863-1939) managed to collect a remarkable library on the history of Mathematics which contained primarily antiquarian books including incunabula and 16th century editions. Various aspects of this valuabe book collection have been studied lately. Books from this dispersed collection have been revealed and examined de visu. Their cataloguing incudes the description of individual book copies in view of their provenance. The purpose of the article is to provide the information on a complex of owners’ recordings and dedicatory inscriptions as well as bookplates left on the books making an attempt to trace the fate of the copies incorporated in the library of the Odessa mathematician. The information collected is considered in the context of the history of Mathematics. Many may characterise both direct and indirect expressions of the readers’ interests in books and reading. The study of provenance records demonstrate that the copies acquired by professor Timchenko used to be in the libraries of a number of men of science – mathematicians, physicists, philologists, etc. The findings of this article enable to enlarge the database of provenance making the practical value and results of the research.
