BAYER, JOHANN
Uranometria, omnium asterismorum continens schemata, nova methodo delineata, sereis laminis expressa.
Folio, contemporary limp vellum painted in colour with the arms of the venetian family Morosini over both covers. An old monastery stamp on titlepage, a fresh and wide copy. Pp.[8], 51 double-page engraved celestial maps, all with letterpress on rectos/versos, last map carefully remargined, much possibly coming from another copy. First edition of the most famous of celestial atlases, the first astronomical work to be conceived as a true atlas, having 48 lavishly illustrated tables portraying the constellations traditionally identified by Ptolemaic astronomy, a forty-ninth table charted for the first time the position of twelve newly discovered southern constellations, and two planispheres closed the series. The identity and position of the stars reflected the enlarged version of Tycho Brahe's catalogue, which had circulated from 1598 only in manuscript form (although rendered in graphic form by the globes of Plancius, Hondius and Blaeu) and was printed by Kepler in 1627. It is in this edition only that the plates are accompanied by explanatory charts printed on the verso. Norman 142.
Augsburg: Christophorus Mangus, 1603
€ 37.000,00
