Milestones of Science Books

MANILIUS, Marcus.

Astronomicon ad Caesarem Augustum liber primus (-quint[us]).

Milan: Antonio Zarotto, 1489.

5th Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine. Item #003951

9 November 1489. Folio (298 x 200 mm). 60 unnumbered leaves. Roman letter, 40 lines, capital spaces with guide-letters. Signatures: A⁴ a-h⁶ I⁸. The colophon reads "Hoc praestantissimu[m] Manilii Poetae astronomici op[us] Impressu[m] fuit in civitate Inclyta Mediolani. Per Antoniu[m] Zarotu[m] Parmensem. Anno salutis christiane M.cccc.Lxxxviiii quinto Idus novenbris Sub Illustrissimo Principe Ioanne Galeazio Duce Mediolani Sexto foelicissimo." Bound in 20th century stiff vellum, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, blue-dyed edges, new endpapers. Text crisp and clean throughout with very little age-toning and faint dampstaining to fore-margin of 2 leaves. A fine, tall copy. ----

VERY RARE EARLY PRINTING, the first of Stephanus Dulcinius, of the Astronomicon by the Roman astrologer and poet Marcus Manilius, who lived in the first century AD. The Astronomicon is a poem in five books. The astrological system, which is based on ancient traditions, relates the individual fate of people to the signs of the zodiac. Manilius was the first to develop the horoscope, which was created somewhat later by Claudius Ptolemaeus, with which the character traits and future destiny of a person could be calculated based on the constellations of the stars. The Astronomicon was first printed by Regiomontanus (Johann Müller) at Nuremberg, 1473-4, then had five subsequent Italian editions before the end of the century. All incunable editions of the Astronomicon are rare and this Milan edition, the 5th overall, is one of the rarest. According to Goff, there are only two copies in the USA (Houghton and Huntington libraries) and the British Museum copy is imperfect. RHB lists only one other copy of this Milan edition sold at auction (Sothebys London, 24th Nov. 1969, lot no. 26, USD 1440.00).
Bibliography & References: BMC VI, 721; USTC 993257; Haiti 12705; Goff 205; Klebs 661.5; IGI 6129 - Visit our website to see more images!

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