拍品 379
  • 379

LONGOMONTANUS, ASTRONOMIA DANICA, AMSTERDAM, 1622

估價
3,000 - 4,000 GBP
招標截止

描述

  • Astronomia Danica... cum appendice de asscititiis coeli phaenomenis, nempe stellis novis et cometis. Amsterdam: Willem Jansz Blaeu, 1622
FIRST EDITION, 2 parts in one volume, 4to (241 x 189mm.), woodcut device on titles, woodcut initials, numerous diagrams, old vellum, green edges, slight spotting or staining, some worming mostly to vellum

來源

'P.H.', initials on bookplate; bought from Martayan Lan, New York, 1995, Catalogue 8, item 85, $3,850

出版

Tomash & Williams L129; Houzeau & Lancaster 2926; STCN 081634811, 081635001; USTC
1012851

Condition

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

拍品資料及來源

Longomontanus was Tycho's disciple and this work is a great summary of Tycho's astronomical researches, based on his data, and denying Copernicus's heliocentrism and Kepler's elliptical orbits. "Longomontanus proved to be the ideal assistant to Brahe and took over much of his work after he died. Although Brahe had made careful and complete observations, it remained for Longomontanus to present them in this treatise as an integrated system. This work, although based on the erroneous Tychonic theory, was very well accepted and was reprinted in 1640 and 1663.

"It is of particular significance that the work contains numerous tables calculated by the method of prosthaphaeresis (here called prosthaphaereseon). Prosthaphaeresis, (from the Greek words for addition and subtraction) is one of the standard computational shortcuts in use before the invention of logarithms" (Tomash & Williams).