Cellarius, Andreas

Harmonia macrocosmica seu atlas universalis et novus, totius universi creati cosmographiam generalem, et novam exhibens. Amsterdam: for Jan Jansson, 1661



Folio (20¼ x 14¼ in.; 515 x 362 mm including guards). Engraved allegorical title by F.H. van Hoven, letterpress title with woodcut printer's device, 29 double-page engraved cosmographic charts, engraved and woodcut text illustrations, all engraved plates with superb later handcoloring, leaves and plates elaborately ruled in red, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces; all leaves and charts guarded, 6 plates (8, 12, 13, 16, 21, 25) with mended fold-tear in margin, plate 22 mended tear in right margin without loss, light dampstain lower margin of E2, a few charts with minor fold-tears now strengthened by guards, light dampstain in lower margin of plate 29 and last few leaves. Eighteenth century dark-red morocco gilt, spine richly gilt in compartments, a.e.g., in a maroon cloth drop-box; rebacked with original spine laid down, light staining to covers, a few corner mends.

Algernon Capel, 2nd Earl of Essex (1670-1710, engraved armorial bookplate dated "1701")

Koeman IV, Cel 2

First edition, second issue with only the title changed.

The most spectacular atlas of the seventeenth century and the only celestial atlas published in the Netherlands, Cellarius' Harmonia derives its style from the globes of Plancius and Blaeu, for example showing Cancer as a lobster as Plancius did, rather than using Bayer's crab, and adopting several new constellations invented by Plancius. The tradition of dressing some of the northern constellation figures (such as Cepheus) in warm winter clothing, derives from early Blaeu globes. Cellarius also includes two planispheres copied from Schiller's atlas showing his new Christian constellations.

A sumptuous copy.