The Stars [Celestial Navigation, Star Maps, Night Navigation]. How to Know Them and How to use Them

ROSSER, W. H.

Published by James Imray and Son, London, 1867

About this Item

Published: 1867. First Edition. Not signed by author. Instrument-to-Manual Association. 1867 first edition of W. H. Rosser s manual of celestial navigation, that served as the primary night-sky guide for the mid-Victorian merchant service. A working copy and bearing the large trade plate of Barber and Bustin, the 19th-century chronometer and nautical instrument makers of Portsmouth and Liverpool this suggests the volume was originally sold as part of a professional navigator s kit, alongside the sextants and telescopes essential for long-distance seafaring. James Imray and Barber and Bustin represents the professional network that supported the British maritime expansion of the 19th century, where precision manufacturing met expert technical writing. PROVENANCE: Trade plate of Barber and Bustin, Portsmouth and Liverpool. DESCRIPTION: Publisher's original blind and gilt red cloth. Manual for mariners to navigate by night it comes. Contains the maps to assist celestial navigation, enabling sailors to identify stars and constellations and to use them for determining position at sea. Collated Language: English Book Condition: Fair. Wear to corners, edges and spine ends. Tear to upper front spine edge. Very dirty cloth with black marks and light marks. Evidence of some prior cleaning to upper front margins. Upper third of front endpaper and full rear endpaper. Hinges remain firm. Spotting and toned section to upper section of pages and map close to spine. Large laid on plate for Barber and Bustin to front paste down. Some spotting to primarily to upper margins with occasional other marks. Laid on illustrations of Autumnal Equinox, Phases of the moon and Eclipses to rear endpapers. DJ Condition: No DJ. Pages 60, plus four fold out maps of the stars. Size: 28 cm by 18 cm. PROVENANCE BACKGROUND: Barber and Bustin were respected 19th-century nautical instrument makers and chronometer specialists. Their Portsmouth presence placed them at the heart of the Royal Navy, while their Liverpool branch served the imperial merchant fleets. They were authorised retailers of specialist literature, and their plate signifies the book was sold as professional navigational equipment. BOOK RESUME: The Stars: How to Know Them and How to Use Them is a rigorous working manual designed for the night-watch officer. It synthesises complex stellar movements into a practical visual system, anchored by four large hemispherical star maps intended for direct consultation at sea. The work captures the peak of Victorian celestial navigation, providing worked problems and tables that allowed mariners to fix their positions with mathematical certainty long before the advent of electronic aids. AUTHOR: William Henry Rosser was a preeminent authority on nautical science and the 'General' of instructional maritime literature in the mid-19th century. Closely aligned with James Imray & Son, he authored dozens of manuals that served as the operational backbone for the British Merchant Navy. His writing was defined by a rejection of abstract astronomy in favour of 'Real-World Application', ensuring his texts were found in chartrooms rather than just private studies.

Seller Inventory # 12557

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Stars [Celestial Navigation, Star Maps, Night Navigation]. How to Know Them and How to use Them
• Publisher: James Imray and Son, London
• Publication Date: 1867
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition.
• Condition: Fair
• Dust Jacket Condition: No DJ