Rojas Sarmiento, Commentariorum astrolabium, Paris, 1550, modern vellum

ROJAS SARMIENTO, JUAN DE

Commentariorum in astrolabium quod planisphaerium vocant, libri sex. Paris: Michel Vascosan, 1550

FIRST EDITION, 4to (233 x 156mm.), italic letter, woodcut illustrations and diagrams, woodcut initials, 2M6 blank, with index at end, modern vellum, modern folding cloth box, occasional marginal repair or restoration, with title and a few leaves with text supplied in facsimile or loss of text (title erroneously reading "Commentariorurum Astrolabium"), vellum slightly cockled

This work contains intricate woodcut illustrations, showing the construction of Rojas' astrolabe and its uses for measuring, surveying and map construction.

LITERATURE:

BP16 114173; Mortimer, Harvard French 462; Palau 276066 (variant collation); Tomash & Williams R108; USTC 150444

PROVENANCE:

Ownership inscriptions on title: "Ex libris D[octo]ris Baltasiani? Cal...?", "Hieronymus Berenger? le Segu...", "Nunc ex libris S[ancti] Cayetani Major" (San Gaetano Maggiore); bought from Palinurus, Philadelphia, 1985; Erwin Tomash, booklabel