Lot 115: SAINTE MARIE MAGDELEINE, Pierre de (early 17th century). Traitte d'Horlogiographie, Contenant Plusieurs Manieres de Construire sur toutes surfaces, toutes sortes de lignes horaires... Paris: Melchior Tavernier, 1641.

SAINTE MARIE MAGDELEINE, Pierre de (early 17th century). Traitte d'Horlogiographie, Contenant Plusieurs Manieres de Construire sur toutes surfaces, toutes sortes de lignes horaires... Paris: Melchior Tavernier, 1641.

8υo (145 x 96 mm). 61 engraved plates, two folding (small hole in one folding plate). (Some marginal dampstaining.) Contemporary limp vellum, dated in manuscript 1651 on front cover (two small losses along spine). Provenance: David P. Wheatland (booklabel).

FIRST EDITION OF THIS RARE, ILLUSTRATED TREATISE ON SUNDIALS AND INSTRUMENTS FOR CALCULATING TIME. Included are detailed practical instructions for constructing various types of dials: horizontal, vertical, vertical declining, inclining, equinoctial and others. Pierre de Sainte Marie Magdeleine was one of the foremost seventeenth century astronomical writers working in Franec. His work was avidly read by navigators, with sections on calculating the high and low tides, and nocturnal dials to determine time by moon and stars. Chapters nine and ten include information about Babylonian, Italic and Judaic sundials. Varying plate counts are recorded, from 61 to 76, but this volume in a contemporary binding appears to be as issued. The work was reprinted five times in the seventeenth century, but this original edition is RARE: according to American Book Prices Current only one other copy, also with 61 plates, has been sold at auction in at least the last thirty years. Not in Honeyman. Goldsmith P-1036; Houzeau & Lancaster 11455; Nederlandsche Hist. Scheepvart Museum, p.665.

PHILLIPPS, Sir Thomas (1792-1872). His
Est. $5,000 - $7,000