762J Thomas Blebel, 1539-1596.; Joannes Regiomontanus
De sphaera seu primi mobilis rudimentis libellus ad usum scholarum maxime accommodatus: accurata methodo & brevitate conscriptus a M. Thoma Blebelio BUDISSIINO. Et nune ab infinitis prope mendis liberatus tabulisque instructni. Adjectus ad calcem est Canon sinuum Joh. Regimontani ad semidiametrum I0000000.
Witebergae : typis Fincelianis, impensis haeredum S. Selfisch,1629. $6,500
Octavo, 15 x 9cm. Signatures: A-S8. Second edition with the Regiomontanus’ tables. Along with numerous astronomical wood cuts there are four working multi part volvelles. This copy is ound in modern boards covered with a vellum 16th century antiphonal leaf. Signature of Godfried Sitborn on title. Imprint line on the title trimmed.
Rare German school book on astronomy and applied mathematics, nicely illustrated with woodcuts and many tables, composed in the form of a catechism, in questions and answers, by the German teacher Thomas Blebel . The present is the second edition with the sine-tables by Johannus Regiomontanus added.
Blebel’s book was first published in Antwerp in 1564, an edition which was only recently discovered, but from about 1576 onwards most editions were published at Wittenberg. It was for almost a century the most popular astronomical school book in Germany. The present edition still has the laudatory letter to Thomas Blebel by Bartholomaeus Schönborn, dated 1576. It also contains a lengthy dedicatory letter by the author, from about 1590.
The book is nicely printed in small Roman and Italic type, occasionally including a fine Greek type.
VD17 3:605087X.; Honeyman 354. (ed. Wittenberg, 1611, still without Regiomontanus’ tables); Houzeau & Lancaster 2637.
NUC list one copy of a Wittenberg-ed.of 1629 with Regiomontanus’ sine tables.
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