Claudius PTOLEMAEUS (Claude PTOLEMEE) - Lot 102

Claudius PTOLEMAEUS (Claude PTOLEMEE) FIRMICUS MATERNUS Julius. Julii Firmici materni junioris v. c. ad mavortium lollianum, astronomicon libri VIII, per Nicolaum Prucknerum astrologum nuper ab innumeris mendis vindicati... [Nicolas Prugner (1488 - 1557). Astrologer, he worked, among other things, on the renovation of the astronomical clock in Strasbourg cathedral]. Basileæ [A Bâle], ex officina Joannis Hervagii [chez Johann Herwagen], 1533 Followed by PTOLOMAEI, CL. Phaenomena, stellarum MXXII. fixarum ad hanc aetatem reducta, atque seorsum in studiosorum gratiam. Nunc primum edita, interprete Georgio Trapezuntio. Adjecta est Isagoge Joannis Noviomagi ad stellarum inerrantium longitudines ac latitudines, cui etiam accessere imagines sphaerae barbaricae duodequinquaginta. Alberti Dureri. [A Cologne] Excusum Coloniæ Agrippinæ, 1537 octauo Calendas Septembres (the eighth of the calendars of September) Excusum Coloniæ Agrippinæ, 1537 octauo Calendas Septembres Two texts bound in one small folio volume, contemporary full vellum, handwritten title on spine, traces of laces, XVI, 244, 143, 89; 51 pp. illustrated with several engraved diagrams and initials. Some old restorations to the headpieces and edges of the volume, small worm gallery exclusively marginal (without affecting the text), traces of pale marginal wetness for the second text. On the title page, a stamp of belonging to the Jean Adler collection (repeated on a few leaves), a mention of belonging in pen dated 1803. The famous astrology treatise "Mathesis" by Firmicus Maternus is followed by three texts by Ptolemy, the "Quadripartitum", the "De inerrantium stellarum significationibus" and the "Centiloquium". This is followed by pieces by Arab and Chaldean astrologers. Full title: Julii Firmici materni junioris v. c. ad mavortium lollianum, astronomicon libri VIII, per Nicolaum Prucknerum astrologum nuper ab innumeris mendis vindicati. His accesserunt : [PTOLEMEE] CLAUDII PTOLEMAEI Pheludiensis Alexandrini ἀωοτελεδμάτωγ, quod Quadripartitum vocant, Lib. IIII [PTOLEMEE] De inerrantium Stellarum significationibus Lib. I [PTOLEMEE] Centiloquium eiusdem Ex Arabibus et Chaldeis : [HERMES] HERMETIS uetustissimi Astrologi centum Aphori Lib. I BETHEM Centiloquium Eiusdem De Horis Planetarum Liber alius ALMANSORIS Astrologi propositiones ad Saracenorum regem ZAHELIS Arabis de Electionibus Lib. I MESSAHALAH De ratione Circuli Stellarum, qualiter in hoc seculo operentur Lib. I OMAR De Natiuitatibus Lib III MARCI MANILII Poëtae disertissimi Astronomicon Lib. V Postremo, OTHONIS BRUNFELSII De diffinitionibus terminis Astrologiae libellus isagogicus Caillet 3959 for the 1551 edition of this first title: "This work, divided into eight books, is a veritable practical manual of astrology, written according to the doctrine of Ptolemy of Peluse, and repeatedly recommended in the Commentaries of Junctin, as a first-rate authority on occultism". (Cf. history of magic by P. Christian)." Ptolemy's second text was published in only one edition and is not mentioned in most bibliographies. It takes the form of an inventory of planetary and stellar positions, presented in tabular form. It is preceded by a presentation (Isagogue) of Ptolemy's work, as well as that of several philosophical authors who dealt with astrology and the various zodiacal representations. The work, which is based on certain representations taken from the works of Albrecht Dürer, did not feature the advertised illustrations in almost all known copies (a single copy is referenced at the Middle Temple Library in London). In fact, since some adjustments had been made by Caspar Vopelius (1511-1561) since Dürer's work in 1515, the engravings depicting the maps, generally attributed to the famous Cologne artist Anton Woensam (1492/1500-1541), are not an exact reproduction of Dürer's depictions, even if they come close. Two woodcuts remain in the text illustrating the Isagogue, which precedes the eight-book text of the Almagest. According to Caillet, this is the text of the most famous astrologer of antiquity, which he calls "Composition ou syntaxe mathématique" (which the Arabs called Almagest). It is based on the system of Hipparchus, whose works have not survived. Very rare set.