COSMOGRAPHIA PETRI APIANI. per Gemmam Frisium apud Lovanienses medicum et mathematicum insignem, iam demum ab omnibus vindicata mendis, ac nonnullis quoque locis aucta, & annotationibus marginalibus illustrata. Additis eiusdem argumenti libellis ipsius Ge by Apian, Peter; Frisius, Gemma - 1574

Apud haredes Arnoldi Birckmanni Colonia Agrippina (By the heirs of Arnold Birckman, Cologne):, 1574 67 leaves, with errors in numbering. Blank margin of one leaf with slight loss. Light damp stains. Some minor marginal chipping. Overall the text and illustrations are in very good Condition. Small 4to. 215 mm. Signatures: A-H, K-S4. Sig. I reserved for a map of the world, which is not present, though there is a Xerox reproduction of the map. Large woodcut of a globe in a stand illustrates the title. Over 100 woodcut illustrations, maps, plans, initials, etc. The rare original revolving diagrams (volvelles) are in good condition and complete. They appear on verso of leaf 9, and on recto of leaves 11, 28 and 49. Several even include the old strings for calculations attached to the large woodcuts with woodcut tabs on the leaf verso. Latin text throughout. On the title is a small early manuscript ownership that appears to read: Nicolas Caesarii Walonsansis et amicorm. Neat modern full vellum binding. Hardbound. Very Good. Petrus Apianus (1495-1552), was a German humanist, known for his works in mathematics, astronomy and cartography. Born as Peter Bienewitz (or Bennewitz) in Leisnig in Saxony. He was educated at the Latin school in Rochlitz; and then he studied at the University of Leipzig (1516-1519). During this time, he Latinized his name to Apianus (apis in Latin means "bee"; "Biene" is the German word for bee). In 1519, Apianus moved to Vienna and continued his studies at the University of Vienna, which was considered one of the leading universities in geography and mathematics. In 1527 he was called to the University of Ingolstadt as a mathematician and printer. His print shop started small. Among the first books he printed were the writings of Johann Eck, an antagonist of Martin Luther's, but he became best known for his high-quality editions of geographic and cartographic works. His accomplishments as a scientific scholar were also significant: he suggested measuring Lunar distances for determining geographical length; in his observation of Halley's Comet he discovered that the tail of the Comet always turns away from the Sun. Apian developed sundials, volvelles, astronomical and geodetic instruments, as well as a height quadrant and introduced a device to solve spherical trigonometric problems. Rainer Gemma Frisius (1508-1555) was a physician, astronomer and cartographer. He published important contributions to geography and cartography. He developed a method for determining longitude, and proposed the use of a precise travel clock to determine the longitude by comparing the displayed time and the local time. The present 'Cosmographia' is also a significant Americanum, with Apian's description of the new world on folio 30. The discovery of America is here ascribed to Amerigo Vespucchi, and the continent itself described as an island. VD 16 A 3081; Sowerby I, 159; Zinner 2663; Sabin 1750; etc. RARE. SAFE ADD 1. Hardcover. Very Good.