Almanach perpetuum; [With:] Cosmographicus - photo 1
Almanach perpetuum; [With:] Cosmographicus - photo 2
Almanach perpetuum; [With:] Cosmographicus - photo 3

Almanach perpetuum; [With:] Cosmographicus

Lot 136
28.01.2025 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 15 120
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
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ID 1360852
Lot 136 | Almanach perpetuum; [With:] Cosmographicus
Estimate value
$ 15 000 – 25 000
ZACUTO, Abraham (1452–c.1515). Almanach perpetuum. [Venice: Peter Liechtenstein, 15 July 1502] [With:] APIANUS, Petrus (1495–1552). Cosmographicus. Edited by Gemma Frisius. Antwerp: Roland Ballaert, February 1529.

Rare astronomical navigation guides from the Age of Exploration, with the Apianus including working volvelles and an early map of America. Instead of constantly depending on the Pole Star to correct for compass error at sea, navigators could now use the reliable tables in Zacuto’s perpetual almanac, particularly those on the sun, to position themselves anywhere around the globe. “Zacuto’s importance lies in the fact that the solar declination tables, essential for the calculation of geographical coordinates, were based on his tables. His Almanach perpetuum allowed a competent skipper to do the necessary calculations and to prepare the solar declination tables, using both single tables and, later, quadrennial tables” (The Christopher Columbus Encyclopaedia). Astronomer to King John II of Portugal, Zacuto was personally consulted for da Gama’s first voyage to India, and his Almanach Perpetuum was vital in establishing Portugal’s role in the Age of Exploration (Goldstein, “The Medieval Hebrew Tradition in Astronomy”).

Apianus’s Cosmographicus was first published in 1524 before being improved and expanded by his student, the globemaker Gemma Frisian. In contrast to geography which concerns the surface of the planet, cosmography, “according to Apianus, was a description of the world (which included the four elements, the sun, moon and all the planets) by way of circles or spheres” through which the motion of the stars, the weather and the passing of day into night can be explains (Hunter, Thornton and Tully’s Scientific Books, Libraries and Collectors). The functional volvelles, often quite delicate but preserved in this copy, were an instrumental tool for showing cosmographical concepts in print.

Two works bound together, quarto (205 × 155mm). Final blank present in first work. Apianus illustrated with woodcuts including globe on title-page and three functional printed volvelles (only, of four; first volvelle re-attached with tiny repair on verso). (Scattered pale dampstain in both works.) Contemporary polished calf blindstamped on each cover twice with large figure of Fides alongside the text of Psalm 70:2, contemporary illuminated manuscript flyleaves from a copy of Hostiensis’ works (spine restored, all but one tie lacking). Provenance: contemporary notes calculations on endpapers of second work – early purchase note on first flyleaf – Stephenus Garnier (1692 ownership inscription on title-page “Stephanus Garnier Presbiter et Farmiliaris”) – J. Massey (overwritten ownership inscription on title-page) – Blondeau (faded ownership inscription on title-page) – Owen Gingerich (bookplate).
Place of origin:Italy
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