Beschreibung:

APIANUS, Petrus (1495-1552). Cosmographia . Edited by Regnier Gemma Frisius (1508-1555). Paris: V. Gaultherot, 1551.
APIANUS, Petrus (1495-1552). Cosmographia . Edited by Regnier Gemma Frisius (1508-1555). Paris: V. Gaultherot, 1551. 4° (239 x 162mm). Woodcut celestial sphere on title, folding woodcut map of the world, 43 illustrations, including 3 full-page and 5 volvelles. (Title with a few repaired holes caused by removed inscriptions, also large part of outer margin excised and repaired, folding map almost completely torn along fold, browned, a little waterstaining.) Old vellum remboitage (new endpapers, creased and soiled); modern case. Provenance : deleted title inscriptions — ‘Medicina Animi’ (stamp in outer margin of A2) — ‘Inter Libros Josephi Mariae Parascandolo Antecessoris Regii A. L. N.’ (bookplate). First Paris edition of Apian’s major work. Providing a layman's introduction to astronomy, geography, cartography, surveying, navigation and mathematical instruments, it became one of the most popular texts of its day, and acted as an outstanding advertisement for the wares in Gemma's instrument shop. Importantly, it described America in part 2, dating the discovery 1497 and stating that Amerigo Vespucci gave the continent his name. In this edition, Gemma's account of Peru and the expedition of 1530 follows. Two further tracts by him, on triangulation methods and the uses of astronomy, are dated Antwerp, 1533. Adams A-1281; Houzeau and Lancaster I, 2392; Mortimer French 27 (title dated 1553); Sabin 1749 note.