Celestial Map (14 results)

Excellent. Superb original color of the highest quality; one ink mark within sphere near Virgo, else fine. Size 16.5 x 20.5 Inches. An exemplar regium of Andreas Cellarius' 1661 celestial chart depicting the Solar system after the fascinating model of Tycho Brahe, embellished with astounding Dirk Jansz Van Santen color and gilt illumination. A Closer Look Cellarius' elegantly engraved celestial chart presents the Solar system on a planisphere, which depicts a spherical space upon a two-dimensional plane. The outer limits of the chart are claimed by the celestial sphere, displaying the signs of the Zodiac. Within are the spheres of the Sun, Moon, and Planets - with Earth at the center. The orbits of the Sun and Moon are centered on the Earth; all the other planets are shown in orbit around the Sun. This is the nature of Tycho Brahe's attempted reconciliation of the traditional Ptolemaic, geocentric Solar system and the modern Sun-centered model proposed by Copernicus. Tycho's compromise accepted the observed geometrical merits of Copernicus while preserving the geocentric model, which was more acceptable to the Church. The work is a triumph of decorative engraving; the chart's title is suspended by putti upon banners in the upper corners, whilst in the lower corners scholars puzzle and argue over terrestrial and celestial globes, atlases, and charts, with students at their feet. At the lower right, seated and elegantly dressed, is Tycho himself. The scholar's famous prosthetic nose is not apparent here. However, he is portrayed here - as he often was - holding a glove, which was an allusion to the duel with fellow mathematician Manderup Parsberg which resulted in the loss of part of his nose. The tumbledown towers in the background represented Tycho's observatory on the island of Hven off Copenhagen and Elsinore in the background. The color work on this celestial map is beyond spectacular, the finest we have seen anywhere in more than 25 years in the trade. The work is almost certainly that of master colorist ( Meester Afsetter ) Dirk Jansz Van Santen, the premier colorist of the Dutch Golden Age. Van Santen's work can be identified here through the lavish use of gold highlighting, rich and distinctive color palette, complex graduation of the sky, and extraneous colorization that goes beyond the engraving itself to bring life to the figures represented. (Please see our 'Identifying Van Santen Chart,' image 5.) The Brilliance of Van Santen: Gold, Color, and Unmatched Craft The colorwork on this map, based on its date of production, stylistic features, and color use, is with little doubt the work of Dirk Jansz Van Santen (1637/38 - May 23, 1708). No colorist of the Dutch Golden Age matched Van Santen's flair, boldness, and artistic sophistication. His maps are unmistakable: lavishly gilded, vividly colored, and alive with dynamic contrasts - incomparable for sheer visual impact, rarity, and sophistication. Van Santen's liberal use of gold highlighting stands out. Where contemporaneous colorists reserved expensive gilding for minor flourishes, he applied it throughout: dotting city names, outlining frontiers, embellishing legends, and even weaving it into the texture of vignettes. His gold accents were frequently set against costly pigments like ultramarine and carmine, creating a luxurious interplay of color and light. Van Santen employed a unique color palette of personally compounded pigments, crafting hues that were unique in tone and depth. His ability to layer and juxtapose color gave his works an almost impressionistic feel far ahead of their time. Spaces that would have remained blank or subdued in other hands were transformed: skies glowed in soft gradients from purple to blue to pink to yellow; seas shimmered; human and animal figures were brought to life with subtle tonal shifts. Unlike his contemporaries, Van Santen avoided monotony at all costs. He turned every inch of the map into an opportunity for artistic expressi.

Excellent. Superb original color of the highest quality. Size 16.5 x 20.5 Inches. An exemplar regium of Andreas Cellarius's 1661 celestial map of the northern constellations with astounding Dirk Jansz Van Santen color. This chart stands out as an exemplary piece from a chart series long known for lavish presentation due both to fine engraving and the extraordinary colorwork of Van Santen. A Closer Look The map illustrates the northern night sky from a god-like perspective, as it might be seen from a point beyond the celestial sphere. The constellations are thus reversed and superimposed upon an oblique view of the Earth's northeastern hemisphere, which means the constellations are reversed from how they would be seen from Earth and the area so mapped embraces from the north pole to the Cape of Good Hope in the Eastern Hemisphere, and in the Western Hemisphere from the Pole to, roughly, Hudson's Bay. The focus is, of course, the constellations. Draco wraps around the Northern Pole. The major constellations of the Zodiac are recognizable: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo. (The others are hidden behind the Earth.) Other significant constellations include Ursa Major (Big Bear), Ursa Minor (Little Bear), Orion, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Cepheus, and Cetus (Whale), among other more obscure fugues such as the Unicorn (Monoceros) and Giraffe. The Milky Way winds across the sky. Although less prominent, the terrestrial geography presented is also of interest. Cellarius draws from Jodocus Hondius, Petrus Plancius, and Claesz Janszoon Visscher. Gold highlights most of the landmasses, with the expectation being those 'undiscovered' speculative lands, such as the unexplored but presumed parts of America located beyond the Strait of De Vries (Kuril Islands). This is an interesting area to consider, because the state of the art of Northern Pacific geography - as characterized by Jansson and Visscher, for example - would have placed a partial 'Compagnies Land' beyond the Strait of De Vries. Here, instead, the land beyond the Strait is unambiguously termed North America. This formulation, and the placenames along the coast, are more reflective of a pre-'California as an island' model, typical of Willem Blaeu or Claesz Janszoon Visscher. The choice to do so may be entirely aesthetic, wishing to show land under the stars in this quarter rather than empty ocean. But the notion that a major American land mass might have existed nearer Asia than was being indicated on contemporary maps would support the use of this older cartography. The color work on this celestial map is beyond spectacular, the finest we have seen anywhere in more than 25 years in the trade. The work is almost certainly that of master colorist ( Meester Afsetter ) Dirk Jansz Van Santen, the premier colorist of the Dutch Golden Age. Van Santen's work can be identified here through the lavish use of gold highlighting, rich and distinctive color palette, complex graduation of the sky, and extraneous colorization that goes beyond the engraving itself to bring life to the figures represented. (Please see our 'Identifying Van Santen Chart,' image 5.) The Brilliance of Van Santen: Gold, Color, and Unmatched Craft The colorwork on this map, based on its date of production, stylistic features, and color use, is with little doubt the work of Dirk Jansz Van Santen (1637/38 - May 23, 1708). No colorist of the Dutch Golden Age matched Van Santen's flair, boldness, and artistic sophistication. His maps are unmistakable: lavishly gilded, vividly colored, and alive with dynamic contrasts - incomparable for sheer visual impact, rarity, and sophistication. Van Santen's liberal use of gold highlighting stands out. Where contemporaneous colorists reserved expensive gilding for minor flourishes, he applied it throughout: dotting city names, outlining frontiers, embellishing legends, and even weaving it into the texture of vignettes. His gold accents were frequently set against costly pigmen.

560 x 760 mm. Lithographic map on fine paper. Folded- Very rare lithographic celestial map, probably produced for educational purposes, printed in Arabic characters throughout. Enriched with a verse from the Qu'ran below each of the two hemispheres: "We have placed constellations in the sky and made it beautiful for those who look" (al-Hijr: 16), and "it is He who has assigned the stars to you, so that through them you may guide yourselves in the darkness of the earth and the sea" (al-An'am: 97). While the hemispheres, months and constellations are also indicated in French, the title and annotations are in Arabic only. - Some marginal tears; small holes in crossed folds.

In contemporary vellum. With an engraved portrait of Regius (by Theodor Matham after Hendrick Bloemaert on a4 verso), an engraved folding map and a celestial map. With numerous woodcut illustrations and diagrams in text, some full-page. (illustrator). With an engraved portrait of Regius (by Theodor Matham after Hendrick Bloemaert on a4 verso), an engraved folding map and a celestial map. With numerous woodcut illustrations and diagrams in text, some full-page. Third edition (first in 1654, under the title "Fundamenta Physices"). Title page printed in red and black, with woodcut printer's device. In contemporary vellum. (44), 523, (1) p., 2 engraved maps (one folded). Henricus Regius (15981679) was a Dutch philosopher, physician and professor of medicine. Regius was a close friend and correspondent of Descartes. His book "Philosophia Naturalis" was important in spreading the Cartesian thought and influential in the development of the new ideas on the field of physics, physiology and medical science. Regius' ideas about the connection between body and mind differs from Descartes' thus regarding this matter he is considered as a precursor of Baruch Spinoza. [Hirsch/H. IV, 905., Krivatsy 9514., Poggendorf II, 588., Rahir 1311., Waller 10990., Willems 1274., Shirley 407., Wellcome IV, p. 495, Berghman 406.] . Old entries of ownership on title page and inner back panel, some contemporary marginal notes. Waterstains to last few pages. Otherwise in good condition. Third edition (first in 1654, under the title "Fundamenta Physices"). Title page printed in red and black, with woodcut printer's device.

Very good. Light wear and toning along original centerfold. Blank on verso. Size 21 x 30 Inches. Drawn as if painted inside two imaginary vaults or domes, this 1860 Garnier celestial or star map details the stars and planets as they would appear in Paris over one calendar year. Two lines present in each hemisphere mark Paris's northern and southern horizons and inform the viewer that any stars between these lines and the poles would never be seen from Paris. Centered on the equinoctial colure (the celestial great circle that passes through the celestial poles and both equinoxes), the Sun is placed where the two spheres meet, and its ecliptic curves its way across the heavens. All twelve months appear along the ecliptic and indicate the passage of time. Major constellations are labeled, although not drawn, leaving some uncertainty as to their exact composition. Two Hemispheres and a Solar System Model The hemispheres as they appear from the North and South Poles are situated in the bottom corners. The Copernican model of the Solar System is illustrated at center with all the planets labeled, including the fictitious planet Vulcan. Explanations referring to the larger diagram separate these three charts. Publication History and Census This map was created and published by F.A. Garnier in 1860. It is not cataloged in OCLC and has appeared on the private market only a handful of times.

Good. Toning along original centerfold. Small areas of loss along original centerfold. Centerfold reinforced. Size 15.5 x 21.75 Inches. This is a rare 1833 Elijah Burritt hand-colored map of the night sky. Centered on the Ecliptic, this map identifies zones associated with major constellations. The Milky Way is shaded. A scale exhibiting the Sun's place in the ecliptic at various times of the year appears below the map proper. This map, like all of Burritt's charts, is based on the celestial cartographic work of Ignace-Gaston Pardies (1635 - 1673) and Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr (1677 - 1750). Publication History This map was engraved by W. G. Evans of New York under the direction of Elijah H. Burritt. It was issued as plate no. VII in the 1833 edition of F. J. Huntington's Atlas Designed to Illustrate the Geography of the Heavens . Dated and copyrighted: 'Hartford Published by F. J. Huntington 1833. Entered according to Act of Congress Sept. 1st, 1833 by F. J. Huntington of the State of Connecticut'. References: Rumsey 2853.005. Kanas, N., Star Maps, p. 277-78. Kidwell, Peggy Aldrich, 'Elijah Burritt and the Geography of the Heavens', Sky and Telescope #69 (January 1985).

Very good. Verso repair to centerfold separation. Size 14.5 x 21 Inches. This is a 1761 Claude Buy de Mornas celestial map of the Milky Way and several easily recognizable stars. A few constellations appear, including Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and the Pleiades. The North Star (Polaris), Arcturus, Regulus, and Sirius are labeled as well. The Milky Way traverses the sphere in an arc, curving down near the center only to rise again toward the right side. Explanatory text occupies the left and right sides, helping orient the map and offering astronomical facts. The whole is surrounded by a beautiful frame-style border. Publication History and Census This map was created and published by Claude Buy de Mornas and Louis-Charles Desnot who jointly published the Atlas Méthodique et Elémentaire de Géographie et d'Histoire in 1761. We note a single separate example cataloged in OCLC, at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. The atlas, however, is well represented. References: OCLC 163399642.

Excellent. Some marginal soiling. Original centerfold. Manuscript annotation. Size 22.5 x 27 Inches. This is a striking pair of 1742 Doppelmayr celestial maps illustrating comets recorded over 210 years between 1530 and 1740. We are aware of no earlier cartographic work that attempts to synthesize all known comet sightings, marking this map as a significant step forward in the study of astronomy. The present example offers additional manuscript annotation of considerable interest, including color coding in each hemisphere that associates the depicted comets with the dates on which they were recorded. A Closer Look The two separate maps, one depicting the night sky north of the Equator and the other to the south, were compiled jointly as a pair, one flowing into the other. Although constellations of the night sky are ghosted in, they are presented primarily as a reference to comet sightings. The primary focus is compiling records of comet sightings spanning 210 years, from 1530 to 1740. The Northern Hemisphere, where comet sightings are more thoroughly documented, has more comets. The manuscript annotation in the lower margin is of considerable interest. The annotator has expanded on the existing color model to identify reoccurrences of the depicted comets, painstakingly compiling historical records of comet sightings and thus making inferences about whether the comets sighted were the same. In most cases, the assumptions seem to be in error, conflating non-periodic hyperbolic comets, some not recorded elsewhere, with various recurring short-period comets (like Halley's Comet). Publication History and Census These maps were compiled by Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr c. 1741 and first published in 1742 by the Nuremberg firm Homann Heirs in the Atlas Novus Coelestis . Both the maps and atlas are well represented institutionally, though the present example, with fine old color and additional informative manuscript annotation, is unique. It is also uncommon to find them as a matched set. References: Rumsey 12129.032, 12129.031.

Very good. Light wear along original centerfold. Size 11.75 x 14.5 Inches. This is a 1690 Johannes Hevelius celestial chart or star map of the Virgo constellation from his influential work Firmamentum Sobiescianum, sive Uranographia . Virgo dominates the sheet, which also includes adjacent Bootes, Mons Menalus, Libra, Scorpius, Centaurus, Hydra, Corvus, Crader, and Leo. Publication History and Census This map was created by Johannes Hevelius and published in 1690 in his Firmamentum Sobiescianum, sive Uranographia by his widow Elisabeth Hevelius.

Excellent. Few specks in the paper, else a fine example. Beautiful hand color, heightened with gold. Size 17.25 x 20.75 Inches. This beautiful work is Andreas Cellarius' celestial chart, in its 1708 Valk and Schenk edition, illustrating the solar system theorized by Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century. It is among the most vivid and unambiguous depictions of the heliocentric solar system produced in the 17th century. A Closer Look The sun's rays emanate from the center of the chart, illuminating the Solar System. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn appear in their orbits around the Sun, within their celestial spheres. The moon is in its proper orbit around the Earth, which is depicted in a north polar projection. Jupiter is surrounded by its four Galilean moons: this is an important addition, as that astronomer's observations represented a key corroboration of Copernicus' heliocentric theories. Bordering the chart are the twelve signs of the Zodiac: each with its astrological symbol, its iconic image, and appropriate seasons. In the space surrounding the charts, below the cartouches, are presented an array of astronomical instruments and books, emphasizing the observed and measured nature of the chart. Seated in the lower right, globe in hand, is the astronomer Copernicus. The figure to the left is thought to be the Greek scholar Aristarchus of Samos (f. 250 BC), Copernicus' precursor in having proposed a heliocentric Solar System. One of Four Models Cellarius' Harmonia Macrocosmica contained diagrams illustrating the conflicting models of the Solar System in play during the 17th century. It includes not only the most modern theories of the Solar System but also historical ones. A classical model of the Solar System identified each of the planets with its corresponding classical deity; another presented the 2nd-century model of Ptolemy. One (the present work) explained the Copernican Sun-centered system. The final is Tycho Brahe's compromise model. Publication History and Census This engraving was executed for Jan Jansson, who in 1660 first published Cellarius' Harmonia Macrocosmica . Jansson produced two editions of the book in 1660 and 1661; distinguishable by the plate numbers engraved for the 1661 edition. Amsterdam publishers Gerard Valk and Pieter Schenk acquired the plates and republished Cellarius' work in 1708, having added their own imprint and privilege to the plates. Separate examples of Cellarius' charts appear on the market from time to time. We see eleven examples of this plate listed in OCLC, six of which correspond to this 1708 edition. References: OCLC 866805331.

Good. Mended tear at bottom, mended centerfold splits at top and bottom with no loss. Toned, original hand color. Size 17 x 20 Inches. This beautiful work is Andreas Cellarius' celestial chart, in its 1708 Valk and Schenk edition, illustrating the position of the Earth within the celestial sphere divided into its circles. Its lush, baroque presentation - filled with clouds, putti , and muses - frames a useful visual glossary illustrating terminology important both to the astronomer and to the geographer. Lavish Engraving This is among the most visually lively of Cellarius' celestial charts: surrounding the globe is a stylized armillary sphere, upon which are visible seven of the twelve signs of the Zodiac with their symbols: Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn. Framing the chart are sumptuously engraved clouds teeming with putti , many of whom brandish cross staves, geometer's compasses, and astrolabes (emphasizing the purpose of the chart). The muses of geography and astronomy are seated at the bottom left and right. (Geometria and Urania, respectively: the former bearing a compass and celestial chart, the latter crowned with stars and leaning on an armillary sphere.) A Closer Look Despite often being described as such, this is not a Ptolemaic model of the Universe. Specifically, the chart pictures the globe at the center of the celestial sphere, subdivided by circles describing different parts of the sky as observed from the ground. Concentric with the Earth's equator, this imaginary sphere is divided into northern and southern hemispheres by an equator; the sphere also possesses its own tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and its Arctic and Antarctic circles. The striking band sporting illustrations of the Zodiac is the zodiac: the region of the sky extending north and south of the ecliptic, embracing the apparent path of the sun across the celestial sphere. Dividing the Celestial Sphere Note first that the chart does not reflect, at all, on the actual form of the solar system. For example, there is no note here about the relationship of the Earth to the Sun, Moon, or Planets. It specifically illustrates the concept of the celestial sphere, and its primary divisions, or circles. This was a primary astronomical concept. The oldest branch of astronomy - spherical or positional astronomy - was based on the observation of the apparent movement of objects over time in relation to the Earth. The celestial sphere - an abstract sphere with the Earth at its center - was a conceptual tool that allowed astronomers to divide the sky into coordinates analogous to how geographers divided the globe (much of the terminology is the same). While positional astronomy had been applied to both religion and astrology in antiquity, it retained utility for both timekeeping and navigation. So Cellarius' chart was not a portrayal of an antiquated system of astronomical thought but rather described essential terms useful to any astronomer, whether they were applying them to the ancient astronomy of Ptolemy or to the modern models of Tycho Brahe or Copernicus. Cellarius' Harmonia Macrocosmica contained diagrams illustrating the conflicting models of the Solar system in play during the 17th century. The concept of the celestial sphere was relevant to the study of all of these. A State of the Art Depiction of the Globe The diagram surrounds a depiction of the globe which reflects the geographical knowledge that was current at the time the chart was engraved. The globe's position focuses on Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Ocean; to the west, the islands of the Indian Ocean are visible, as well as the Indian Peninsula; the imagined Terra Australis Incognita can be seen at the south pole. To the east - all but obscured in the globe's shadow - can be glimpsed the speculative Pacific coast of North America, including the island of California. Publication History and Census This engraving was executed by Johannes van Loon for.

Average. Even overall toning. Soiling. Size 14 x 22.75 Inches. The finest of Lucien Boucher's iconic maps drawn for Air France, this is a 1951 medium-format edition of his beautiful double hemisphere pictorial map of the constellations. Boucher's work for Air France is considered an embodiment of the golden age of air travel. A Closer Look Boucher illustrates the constellations as seen from the northern and southern hemispheres. The constellations of the Zodiac are highlighted in gold and orange. Taurus is missing from this group, as it is obscured by the Earth. Rendered in tones of burnt orange, Air France's route network appears over the Earth. Wind heads decorate each corner. Here the airplane is master not just of the sky, but the whole universe, connecting the passenger not merely to earthly destinations, but to the heavenly spheres themselves. Chromolithography Chromolithography is a color lithographic technique developed in the mid-19th century. The process involved using multiple lithographic stones, one for each color, to yield a rich composite effect. Oftentimes, the process would start with a black basecoat upon which subsequent colors were layered. Some chromolithographs used 30 or more separate lithographic stones to achieve the desired product. Chromolithograph color could also be effectively blended for even more dramatic results. The process became extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it emerged as the dominate method of color printing. The vivid color chromolithography produced made it exceptionally effective for advertising and propaganda imagery. Publication History This map was printed for Air France by Perceval of Paris. This chart is dated via a reference number in the lower left, 557/P./4-51, suggesting a 1951 publication date. This is the smaller format of the two editions of this wonderful work that we are aware of, with editions of the larger format edition published in 1950 and 1953, based on inferences from reference numbers that appear on those examples.

Altkolorierter Kupferstich aus Atlante Partenopeo b. Paolo Petrini in Neapel (Napoli / Naples), 1700, 40 x 48 Tooley's Dic. of Mapm. Rev. Ed. K - P, page 414. - Paolo Petrini in Neapel (Napoli / Naples) war zwischen 1692 und 1766 aktiv. - Die Informationen über die Biographie von Petrini sind sehr spärlich. - Er arbeitete dort als Buchhändler, Kartenverkäufer, Kartograph und Kupferstecher in der S. Biaggio de Librari (Via San Biagio Dei Librai). - Zuerst als Kupferstecher von Porträts berühmter Neapolitaner, dann als kleiner Verleger und Buchhändler. - Petrini war vor allen Dingen als Kartograph tätig und stellte seine eigenen Landkarten nach geographischen Vorlagen der klassischen und genauesten Autoren her, die er nach dem modernsten Wissen korrigiert und verbessert hat. - Dadurch entstand eine Sammlung von 75 uns bekannten verschiedenen Landkarten, die Petrini im letzten Jahrzehnt des siebzehnten Jahrhunderts skizziert hatte und Anfang 1700 in Neapel zuerst als lose Blätter herausgegeben und dann später als Atlas "Atlante Partenopeo" (Atlas der Neapolitaner) verlegt worden sind. - Von dem Atlas ist kein gedruckter Index bekannt. - Die Verbreitung der Karten, zuerst als Einblattdrucke und später als Atlas, war auf den Bereich des Königreichs Neapel beschränkt. - Weil die Karten international nicht auf den Markt kamen, konnte Petrini den Erfolg leider nicht mehr genießen, den sein Kartenwerk verdient hätte. - Dadurch ergibt sich heute die absolute Seltenheit. - Tatsächlich ist die kartographische Arbeit von Petrini eindeutig auf Karten anderer sehr maßgeblicher Kartographen wie Sanson, Rossi oder den Zeitgenossen Nicolas De Fer zurückzuführen. - Die Karten Süditaliens gehen auf Giovanni Antonio Magini und Arbeiten von Cantelli da Vignola zurück. - Petrini aktualisierte die Straßen und die Ortsnamen. - Durch die Art und Weise Landkarten zu gravieren, entstand sein unnachahmlicher außergewöhnlicher Stil. - Sehr selten besonders in diesem altkoloriertem Zustand extrem selten!

Altkolorierter Kupferstich v. Tobias Conrad Lotter b. Matthäus Seutter in Augsburg, dat. 1749, 50,5 x 58 Ritter, Die Welt aus Augsburg S. 76, 11. - Lehrtafel zur Funktionsweise und Anfertigung von Sonnenuhren sowie zu deren astronomischen und geographischen Grundlagen. - Neben ausführlichen Erläuterungen in Latein werden die komplexen Zusammenhänge durch Zeichnungen einer sogenannten Quadrantenuhr (links) und einer Universal-Uhr (rechts) sowie durch weitere illustrierende Skalen und figürlichen Abbildungen veranschaulicht. - Seltenes Blatt in einem tadellosen altkolorierten Zustand! Instructional panel on the functioning and manufacture of sundials as well as on their astronomical and geographical principles. - In addition to detailed explanations in Latin, the complex relationships are illustrated by drawings of a so-called quadrant clock (left) and a universal clock (right) as well as by further illustrative scales and figurative illustrations.