Cordoba, Alonso de
Tabule astronomice Elisabeth Regine (Isabel de Castilla)
Venice, Petrus Liechtensteyn Coloniensis. 1503 (or 1517) (Palau 61824; Adams C 2622; Honeyman 760). Small in quarto, old vellum. 51 of 52 leaves (B8, authentic blank; lacking last leave *e4, with colophon). Added are 9 leaves in contemporary manuscript. Of the 9 additional leaves 8 are tables and one is a horoscope dated: calculata anno 1553, aprilis 6 for Prince Henry (Henrici dauphini) born March 31 1518 between 7 and 8 hours. This Prince Henry, son of King Francois I, became King Henri II of France (1547-1559), married Catharina de Medici who gave birth to Francois II; Charles IX and Henri III.
Alfonso’s (Alfonso el Sabios‘) astronomical tables, as adapted by Alonso de Cordoba. The Alfonsin tables, tables of Toledo, were based on development of Arabic astronomy which in turn was based on Greek classical (for example Ptolomys Amalgesta) and Hindu knowledge. Concrete measurements with Toledo at the zero prime meridian started in 1061. The name of Azarquiel is remembered as its main author. We do not know how these measurements were documented. The first written elaboration of the Alfonsin Tables is carried out by two Jewish astronomers: Jehuda ben Mose and Isaac ben Sid between 1263 and 1272. The Alfonsin Tables did not stand alone: in various places in Western Europe similar tables were developed and adapted. The one outstanding characteristic of the Alfonsin tables is that the instrument translates calculations, based on movements of the sun (Christian) to calculations movements of the moon (Islamic) (Fernandez, Museo Naval. 2006). The Alfonsin tables were used all over Europe and found in the late XIII century in Florence, in 1320 in Paris etc. In those cases the prime meridian was adapted to the city of its use, e.a Florence or Paris. The adaptions of Johannes de Saxonia in Paris in 1327 were selected by Radtholt for the first printed edition (Venice 1483). Were the Alphonsin tables (based on the Paris adaptations) were used for two centuries all over Europe, they played a marginal role in Spain itself, were astronomy and science went lost. Only the arrival of Nicholaus Polonius in Salamanca in 1460 revived this interest and led to Alfonsin tables, adapted on a prime meridian through Salamanca: Tabulae probatae. The printed versions of the Alfonsin tables continued in Venice and elsewhere. In the meantime Alonso de Cordoba adapted the Alfonsin tables, using Sevilla as prime meridian and using as first year the year of the coronation of Isabel la Catolica in Spain in 1474. That is our copy. Alonso de Cordoba was born in Sevilla c 1450 and studied medicine. He was astronomer to the King of Portugal and published various books with astronomical tables and an almanach.
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Ludolphus de Saxonia
Vita Christi (primera parte)
Sevilla, Cromberger 1537. Traduccion de A. Montesino. (Palau, 131.079; Salva 3436). En folio, pergamino de epoca. 8 hojas; 252 folios. Gotico, escrito en dos columnas. Portada en dos colores y en xilografia. En verso: texto en orla de grabados xilografiados. Dos otras xilografias al verso de la hoja VIII. Iniciales del texto en xilografia. Colofon, folio 242 (=252). Ex libris: Biblioteca de Salva. Primeras cuatro hojas con pequenos danos marginales y manchas de utilizacion. Por otra un ejemplar limpio, impreso sobre papel fuerte y sano. Ejamplar sin restauraciones.
Texto basico sobre la vida de Cristo del cartujo Aleman Ludolfo (o Landolfo) de Sajonia (1300-1368). 'La obra tuvo gran difusion en toda la cristianidad a finales de la Edad Medio' (Perez, J: Teresa de Avila, 2007). Existe una traduccion en la lengua Valenciana y una edicion incunabile de esta (Valencia 1496). Isabel la Catolica solicito al Franciscano Ambrosio de Montesinos traducirlo del Latin en Castellano. Tuve su primera edicion en Alcala de Henares (1502, primer libro impreso en esa ciudad) por Stanislas Polono y, segun Palau, una reedicion por Cromberger en Sevilla en 1530 y otra en 1537. Libro muy raro. En el patrimonio se encuentra ningun ejemplar de las ediciones de Cromberger, sino 6 ejemplares (completos de 4 tomos) de la primera edicion de Alcala de Henares, y algunos tomos sueltos (el tercero y el quarto no mas). Salva dice 'solo tengo el primero' (ese ejemplar).
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Caesar, Julius
Rerum ab se gestarum commentarii...
Paris, Vascosan, 1543 (Adams, C37; Mortimer 124). Folio, XVIII red morocco, blindtooled & gilted, spine restored. 20 nn leaves; 128 folios; 12 nn leaves. Slight overall browning, else fine.
Classical Caesar texts (Rerum... & De Bello Gallico...) in a very nice and authentic presentation. Giovanni Giocondos preliminary text includes the woodcut maps of France and Spain and five woodcuts, copies from the earliers (1513) Aldine edition.
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Robles, Francisco de
Ratio accentuum...dictionum difficilium
Toledo, Fratres Ferrariensis, 1552 (Palau 271146). Octavo, pergamino de epoca, lomo restaurado. 58 folios; 2 hojas, 167 folios; 1 hoja (colofon)
Segunda edición (primeras en 1533). Reglas de las lenguas Latin, Griego y Hebreico para poder entender la biblia. Very rare, not sold in auction in the last 30 years.
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Alonso X El Sabio
Astronomicae tabulae...
Paris, Wechsel, 1553 (Adams A 734).In quarto. Contemporary vellum. Title in manuscript on spine. (4) 274 (1). Printers device title page & colofon. As bookmarker double coat of arms: hinc occidit, inde resugit (going under here, coming up again elsewhere). Title page & first and last leaves slightly spotted. About 15 leaves with marginal wurmhole. Else fine.
The astronomical tables of Alfonso el Sabio were in reality the tables by the Cordoban astronomer al Zarqali (1029-1087). It was one and who knows the most famous of the various translations of classics from Arabian into Spanish or Latin. At the time the observations of the XI century were updated with data from 1262 and 1272. Of course it followed Ptolomys concept of celestial motion. Those tables were again rewritten in the early XIV century. That text was first printed in 1483 by Ratholt in Venice. Ratholt added John of Saxonys popular canons which completed the Alphonsine tables in various areas (Sothebys, Streeter, 2007). The present edition is the second edition of the update by Hamleius (Duhamel, professor at the University of Paris).
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Plato
Platonis Atheniensis....opera
Basel, Froben 1561 (Adams 1448). Folio, contemporary blindstamped pigskin over wooden boards with clasps (one missing). 14 nn lvs (one blank); 1948 pages; 30 nn leaves (one blank. Excellent condition.
Beautiful edition by Froben of Plato's dialogi, that is Socrates' dialogi, commentated upon by Italian Renaissancist Ficino, one of the founding fathers of the Platonic Academy in Florence.
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Cicero
Epistolas ad Junius Brutus...
Venice, Aldus 1562 (Renouard 1562, nr 16). Octavo, XVIII century half calf. 8 nn lvs; 160 (wrong 168) lvs. Complete. Slight water stain to lozer marginal corner of first 20 lvs, else excellent.
A nice Aldus edition of these letters by Cicero.
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Ribera, D. de
Escripturas y orden....
Granada, Rabut, 1563 (Palau 266804). En folio, pergamino de epoca. 10 hojas, 101 folios. Portada con escudo y borderes xylografiadas. Letra Gotica; decenas de iniciales en xylografia. Ejemplar lavado y restaurado, ultima hoja en buen facsimile sobre papel antiguo.
Existe una primera edicion editado en Granada en 1560. La bibliografia de este libro sin embargo es complicada, posiblemente porque es tan rara. Palau dice que “todas las ediciones de este libro se han hecho raras” y dice de nuestro ejemplar: en la biblioteca de Don Eduardo Sainz de Zaragoza existia una primera parte, impresa en Granada.. por Rabut in 1563... la segunda parte de esta, quiza segunda edicion, Granada Rabut, 1564 existe en la Biblioteca Nacional, pero no la primera parte”. Palau da por nuestra edicion de Granada por Rabut la colacion de 10 hojas mas 109 folios y la fecha del 20 de junio 1563. El nuestro si embargo es 1563 sin mas, y la colacion completa es 10 hojas, 101 folios. El patrimonio bibliografico da un solo ejemplar de 10 hojas y 98 folios, diciendo que falta el folio XCVIII (98) e adelante. Obviamente hablamos de un libro muy raro en sus primeras ediciones que por su importancia legal tuve muchas reediciones posteriores que empiezan por las ediciones de Luis Sanchez en Madrid en 1596. Su escasez justifica que presentamos nuestro ejemplar, a pesar de sus defectos, con orgullo.
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| Perez de Vargas, Bernardo |
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Perez de Vargas, Bernardo
...la Fabrica del Mundo
Toledo, Juan de Ayala, 1563 (pero 1560) (Palau 222668; Perez Pastor, Toledo, nr 296). Folio, pergamino de epoca, restaurado. 8 hojas; 136 de 138 folios; 15 de 16 folios. Primera portada en rojo y negro con escudo en xilografia, segunda portada arodeado por orla xilografiada. Capitulares historiados en xilografia. Varias tabulas e ilustraciones en xilografia, algunas a plena pagina.
Libro importantisimo sobre cosmografia e astrologia. El segundo libro es un resumen de la historia del mundo. Completo en sus dos partes aunque se llama segunda parte ya que la primera parte nunca fue impreso. Casi siempre falta el grabado famoso del cuerpo humano (folio 88, en verso) que en sus partes se relaciona con el Zodiac. Este grabado esta presente en nuestro ejemplar.
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Boethius
Aristotelis dialectica
Venice, Simbenum, 1570 (Adams B 2303). In folio, rebound in contemporary vellum. 6 nn leaves, 712 half pages. Woodcut text illustrations. Complete.
Boetius' Latin translation of one of Aristoteles' most important texts.
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Granada, Luis de
Ecclesiasticae historicae sive...
Lisboa, Antonio Ribeiro, 1576. (Palau, 108132; Anselmo, 923). In quarto, contemporary vellum. 6/8 nn lvs; 362 pp; 1 nn lve. Lacks two preliminary leaves (licencao e previlegoa de Castela e Aragao, 1572 e 1576). Water stain upper quarter of about 40 leaves. Old underlining in some parts. Else fine.
Rare original (first) edition, written a grand Castellano and a style that reminds us of Erasmus. The book was reprinted in many editions and languages. Fray Luis de Granada (1504-1588) is one of the pilars of culture of XVI century Spain. His writings were very popular and went through many editions in many languages. Still his works were considered on the border of heresy (“hay algunas graves errors que tiene un cierto sabor a heregia…e otros que contradizen a la fe” ). About Antonio Ribeiro: E um dos nossos mais notavias impressores na segunda mitade do seculo XVI (Anselmo, p 267). According to Palau Salamanca and Lisbon both usually claim the first editions of separate texts of Fray Luis de Granada.
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Monardus, Nicolas
Historia medicinal de nuestras Indias Occidentales
Sevilla, Diaz 1580 (Palau 175487; Sabin, 49938). Quarto, 7 nn leaves; 168 lvs. Modern vellum. Title page; a3 and last 2 lvs in manuscript.
Nicolas Monardus was born and raised in Sevilla in 1493, studied medicine in Alcala. He wrote a best selling book on medicinal herbs from the Americas and gave the world the first image of the tobacco plant and a nice image of the armadillo.
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Gonzalez de Mendoza
Dell historia della Chinas
Roma, Martinelli, 1586. (Cordier I, p 10; cfr Lust 23; Boxer South China in the sixteenth century). In quarto (27,5x16,5cm), (8) 380 (16) pp. Washed copy, rebound in contemporary vellum. First and last leaves with small restorations, affecting a few letters. Clean, wide margined copy.
First edition in Italian of this instant bestseller. There were three editions in Italian in 1586, one by Bartolome Grassi; one by Vicentio Pellagallo and this one by Giovanni Martinelli. “ ces editions ne sont que des exemplaires du meme tirage avec des noms differents; ce qui le prouve c'est que la p 378 est dans tous cifres par erreur 578” (Cordier, I, p 10). Curiously, Lust calls the copy he has seen “in octavo” and gives a much smaller size: 18x10,5 cm). Mendoza (1545-1618) was an Augustinian monk at the court of Rome. Pope Gregory XIII ordered him to collect all that was known at the time about China. Mendoza was never in China. The work consists partly of travel accounts by Augustine and Franciscan monks. Another source as material gathered on China by father Martin de Rada in Fukien. His work became the standard authority at the time. It appears as one of the first general histories/ descriptions of China . “ The first, serious survey of China, it ran some 33 editions in Western Europe between 1585 and 1613. Its influence can be imagined” (Lust, nr 23)
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Gonzalez de Mendoza
Nova et succincta historia de amplissimo regno China
Frankfurt a. Main, Henning, 1589Octavo; book rebound in old vellum, 1nn blank, 284 pages, 2 nn blanks. Tiny hole in title page, restored; slight waterstain first half of the book, else fine. (Cordier, 14/15; Lust 27; VD 16 G 2658).
First edition in Latin of this instant bestseller. One of the first general histories/descriptions of China. Original Spanish version edited in Rome in 1586.
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Gallucci, Giovanni Paolo
Della fabrica & del novo horlogio...
Venetia, Perchacino 1590 (Riccardi I, 569; Brunet II, 1468; Poggendorf I, 838; Horblit Collection, Sotheby's, 1974, part 2 nr 433). Quarto, newly bound in old vellum. Free end papers. Two books in one volume. 4 nn lvs; 28 folios; 4 nn lvs; 36 folios. Two title pages with woodcut printer device, initials historiated in woodcut. With two original moving parts and many woodcut illustrations. Fine copy.
Gallucci (1538-1621) was a productive scientist, especially known for his Theatrum Mundi, a book on astronomy. He was a co-founder of the Academy of Sciences in Venice.
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Fernandez, Juan Bautista
Primera parte demostractiones catolicas
Logroño, Mathias Mares, 1593. (Palau 87895). En folio, pergamino de epoca, 3 hojas, 395 folios, 27 folios. Portada grabada (F.P. Bredel). Colofon (Ddd8) impreso con licencia... con xilografia (San Francisco recibe las signaturas). Completo.
Primera e unica edicion de este obra del Franciscano Juan Bautista Fernandez de religion polemico.
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Brito, Bernardo de
Monarquia Lusitana
Alcabaca, 1597 al Crasbeek de Mello, Lisboa 1683(Anselmo 1066, de Matos, Manual pp 82/83, King Manuel, nr 253). En folio, en pleno cuero de la epoca, dañado. Portada grabada, 16 hojas; 416 folios; 8 hojas (completo). Libro reencuadernado en el siglo XVIII, hojas cortadas sin afectar el texto a exepcion de unos titulos de paginas.
Historia de Portugal, desde de los primeros dias al nacimiento de Cristo. Libro que figura en la Biblioteca de King Manuel (Maggs, 1929) como libro independiente, ya que otros tomos (hasta ocho) se añadan posteriormente, por otros autores, publicados en otros sitios y años. Libro importante e completo. Important early work on Portuguese history later followed by other parts, published in other cities but cited as an independent book in King Manuels catalogue of Early Portuguese books (Maggs, 1929).
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de Bry Th.
Grands voyages, partes VII & CIII (Latin)
Frankfurt a/Main, Becker/de Bry, 1599/1599. (VII: Text Schmidel; VIII: only the plates, relating to Argentina) (Crawford, p 139; Church 161 & 163). Folio, full XIX century calf; title in gilt on spineLarge margin copy (34x23 ½ cm). Book VII: engraved titel page, 62 lvs plus one leave blank, 1 text engraving. Book VIII: title page (imagenes), 3 leaves, each with one engraving, 2 blank leaves.
Part VII contains Schmidels text on his long stay in Argentina, Paraguay & Brasil. The plates that come with the text were published by de Bry's widow and sons, after Theodor's death in 1598 in part VIII in 1999 (the Latin version) and in 1600 (the German version). The plates in this present Latin edition precede the German edition and also the Hulsius editions ( Bonifacio de Carill, Monumenta Iconografica…Argentina, 1964) are thus the very first illustrated texts on Argentina ever. De Bry editions of the Grand Voyages after book VI are very rare. This is an exceptionally fresh and undamaged copy.
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Magnus, Olaus
Gentium septentrionalium historiae breviarium
Amsterdam, Ravesteyn. 1669(Brunet 27536)Duodecimo, contemporary vellum over boards. (9) 492 (30), with engraved title page.
Classical, early description of Scandinavia.
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