Newberry Library - Explanatio super cosmographia Ptolemei 1497 March 20-1506 May 25

Explanatio super cosmographia Ptolemei 1497 March 20-1506 May 25

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Open book Explanatio super cosmographia Ptolemei 1497 March 20-1506 May 25

Title Explanatio super cosmographia Ptolemei 1497 March 20-1506 May 25

Creator Bernardo, d'Albenga

Date 1497-1506

Place Italy--Genoa

Language Latin

Subjects Astronomy, Bookplates, Calendar, Cosmography, Geography

Description Title from Butler.
Place of production from colophon on recto of leaf [77]: "Hoc exiguu[m] opus edidit donus Bernardus Albi[n]gaunensis, monachus ceruarie professus: existens in eremitario Diue Marie Magdalene: apud Monte[m] Rubru[m]: a Genue Ligurie regionis ..."
First line of text is author's dedication to Bernardo Salvago of Genoa (verso of leaf [1]).
Text in black and red; large and small ornamental capitals in black and gold; part of text in two columns, with numerous elaborate astronomical charts, tables, and diagrams in red, black, and gold; marginal notes and alphabetical and numerical references in red and black.
Contemporary foliations in upper and lower corners of rectos are irregular; some leaves may be misbound or missing.
Early 19th-century Italian tree calf, with gold-stamped spine ornaments; in newer dark brown leather box by W. Pratt, elaborately tooled in blind and gold; center panel of lozenges within concentric rectangular borders; gold-stamped corner fleurons; gold-stamped spine title.
Bound with [6] blank leaves at front of text, and [4] blank leaves at end.
Memorial bookplate of Edward E. Ayer and the Henry Stevens Ptolemy Collection: "Begun in 1848 and since his death in 1886 continued by his son Henry Newton Stevens until acquired in 1898 by Edward E. Ayer."
Bookplate in red and black; woodcut vignette; illustrated woodcut compartmentalized borders in the Holbein style, containing corner monograms of Cl[audius] Pt[olemy]y and three previous owners of ms., and binder's name, "W. Pratt"; added ms. title: "Bernardus Albingavensis. Explanatio super cosmographer Ptolemei 1497-1502."
From the Visconti-Pallavicini collection; cf. leaf [4] at end; also De Ricci.
Acquired by Edward E. Ayer on May 15, 1911, possibly from Leo Olschki or Anton Hiersemann; cf De Ricci.

Summary Ms. commentary on ancient and medieval astronomy by the Benedictine monk Bernardo d'Albenga, of Albenga, Italy, compiled at a hermitage near Genoa, and dated throughout text from March 20, 1497 to May 25, 1506. The author discusses Ptolemy's cosmography, as well as Zacuto's Almanach and Regiomontanus' work on the calendar. He includes many tables, charts, and diagrams for calculating the movements and cycles of the planets and the stars, the lunar epacts, solar eclipses; charting the signs of the Zodiac; measuring time according to the celestial bodies; and determining the longitude and latitude of geographical locations. There are also multiplication tables, and time tables.

Extent [6], [79], [4] leaves, bound ; 33 cm (fol.)

Format Early works

Archival Collection Title Edward E. Ayer Collection

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Ayer MS 68

BibID 170048

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

Size 2709px × 3748px 29.07 MB

Filename 991700488805867_VAULT_Ayer_MS_68_0001.tif

Unique Identifier NL11DY49