Ephemerides, 1482–1506 - photo 1
Ephemerides, 1482–1506 - photo 2
Ephemerides, 1482–1506 - photo 3

Ephemerides, 1482–1506

Lot 123
28.01.2025 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 15 120
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1360839
Lot 123 | Ephemerides, 1482–1506
Estimate value
$ 15 000 – 25 000
REGIOMONTANUS (1436–1476). Ephemerides, 1482–1506. – MARIENSÜSS, Bartholomaeus (d. 1504). Expositiones in Ephemerides et Tabula mansionum. Venice: Erhard Ratdolt, 1481.

Very rare incunable edition from Ratdolt’s press; Regiomontanus’s groundbreaking predictions of planetary positions. Regiomontanus, “the most important astronomer of the 1400s,” completed his tables of expected planetary positions in 1474 (Gingerich, The Book Nobody Read). It was the first work of its kind, computing the positions of the sun, moon and planets every day for the following 32 years, from 1475 to 1506. Many institutional copies of this edition printed in 1481 are fragmentary or imperfect comprising sometimes a single quire, often only the preface or the ephemerides for a single year. The present copy includes Ratdolt’s preface (a4), Mariensüss’ text (a10) and Regiomontanus’ ephemerides for the years 1499 and 1500 ([t–u14]).

Very rare, with no appearances at public auction (RBH). BMC XII 19; BSB-Ink R-61; Essling 278; GW M37488; Goff R-105; Klebs 839.4ISTC ir00105000.

Quarto (196 × 142mm). 42 leaves (of 364; first 2 leaves the preface (a4) preceding Mariensüss (a10), each ephemerides with its initial blank). Woodcut woodcut lunar eclipse for 1500 (occasional stains, small marginal tear at head of a1 (Mariensüss)). Modern calf (light scratches). Provenance: contemporary annotations in at least two hands (trimmed) – epistolary poem between two doctors dated 1499 on endpaper, possibly unique (ascenders of first line trimmed) – faint early ownership inscription – Owen Gingerich (bookplate).
Place of origin:Italy
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
Preview
14.01.2025 – 28.01.2025
Phone +1 212 636 2000
Fax +1 212 636 4930
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Shipping Postal service
Courier service
pickup by yourself
Payment methods Wire Transfer
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:30 – 17:00   
Tu 09:30 – 17:00   
We 09:30 – 17:00   
Th 09:30 – 17:00   
Fr 09:30 – 17:00   
Sa closed
Su closed

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.