APIANUS, PETRUS. INSTRUMENT BUCH... INGOLSTADT: [PETER & GEORG APIAN], 1533

Folio (310 x 200 mm). Woodcut of astronomers on title and cut of arms on verso; numerous text woodcuts of mathematical instruments and their use; lacks plates at end, repair to lower corner of title, light dampstain to upper and lower margins of a few signatures not affecting text, small wormhole. 19th century vellum-backed boards.

Crone Library 18; Tomash & Williams A83; USTC 669172 (this variant, most often seen with title in black and red); USTC 669173; VD16 A3111; cf. VD16 ZV 659 

FIRST EDITION OF ONE OF THE EARLIEST TECHNICAL BOOKS TO BE PRINTED IN THE VERNACULAR. Apianus chose German, because his work was intended for practitioners in the field, rather than scholars. "Indeed, in the introduction to the work, Apian calls upon other authors to publish in German so as to encourage the broader dissemination of technical information." (Tomash & Williams).