Cosmographia [and] Ephemerides - photo 1
Cosmographia [and] Ephemerides - photo 2
Cosmographia [and] Ephemerides - photo 3
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Cosmographia [and] Ephemerides

Lot 67
28.01.2025 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 20 160
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1360783
Lot 67 | Cosmographia [and] Ephemerides
Estimate value
$ 20 000 – 40 000
APIANUS, Petrus (1495-1552). Cosmographia. Antwerp: Gregorio Bontio, 1550. [Bound with:] RHETICUS, Georg Joachim (1514-1574). Ephemerides. Leipzig: Wolfgang Günther, 1550.

Early edition of Cosmographia, together with a rare work by Rheticus, in a contemporary binding. After its first publication in 1524, Cosmographia next appeared in 1529 in an improved edition by Apian's student Gemma Frisius. Providing a layman's introduction to astronomy, geography, cartography, surveying, navigation and mathematical instruments, it became one of the most popular texts of its day and acted as an outstanding advertisement for the wares in Gemma's instrument shop. Importantly, it describes America in part 2, dating the discovery 1497 and stating that Amerigo Vespucci gave the continent his name.

The appearance in 1531 of what was later named Halley’s comet was observed across Europe and studied by scientists such as Johannes Schöner, Gemma Frisius, Paracelsus, and Achilles Pirmin Gasser; it heightened interest in astronomy, a field that Gasser, Rheticus’s professor at Zurich and his first mentor, encouraged his young protégé to pursue. On Gasser’s recommendation, Rheticus completed his studies at Wittenberg, where he was appointed—still only 22 years of age—professor of mathematics. Two years later in 1538, Rheticus embarked on a leave of absence to visit leading scientists such as Schöner at Nuremberg, Peter Apian at Ingolstadt, and Philip Imser at Tübingen. In May 1539, he arrived at Frombork to meet Nicolaus Copernicus, about whose theories he had heard. The two men worked intensively in Copernicus’s tower studio, making observations together and discussing the new theories. Ephemerides novae was Rheticus's fourth work, published in 1550. Rare: according to RBH only one copy, from the library of the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and later the Honeyman collection, has come to auction. Apianus: Adams A-1279; Rheticus: Adams R-445.

Quarto, two works bound in one (242 x 160mm). Cosmographia: double-page "charta cosmographia" bound after quire H, woodcut illustrations including terrestrial globe on title page, 4 working volvelles (repaired loss to margin of title-page, light dampstains, small loss to corner of F4, short tear to lower margin of H2). Ephemerides: (a little spotting). Original blindstamped pigskin dated 1550, leather spine label (repairs to label, some staining, wear at corners, lacking rear endpaper). Provenance: early annotations to endpapers – gift inscription from Hans Brauns, a boatman of Münden to an unidentified churchman, Germany 1663 – Mickhael Klein (ownership inscription on endpaper).
Place of origin:Belgium
Auction house category:Printed books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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14.01.2025 – 28.01.2025
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