Books

Nuremberg: Johannes Petreius, 1543. FIRST EDITION, and a very fine and crisp copy. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in attractive, contemporary Parisian calf with some discreet repairs. The boards are blind-ruled and adorned with gold-tooled ornaments. This is one of very few to have appeared on the market in a contemporary binding. The text is in excellent condition, with just minor blemishes (small early erasure of an ownership inscription on the title just slightly touching the “D.” in the date. Light damp-staining to first six leaves.) Collation as in Horblit; this copy without the errata leaf -printed separately and later- that is found in a minority of copies (about 20 percent). Preserved in a morocco-backed box. Provenance: At the foot of the title-page, an early signature has been thoroughly lined through. 17th- or 18th-century inscription on title of the Jesuit College of Paris. Bookplate of Gustavus Wynne Cook (1867-1940, amateur astronomer, collector, and benefactor of the…

Nicolaus Copernicus' groundbreaking work on heliocentrism is encapsulated in his seminal book "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres). This work, published in 1543, marked a significant departure from the geocentric model that had dominated astronomical thought for centuries. Copernicus proposed that the Sun, rather than the Earth, was at the center of the universe, with the Earth and other planets revolving around it. "De revolutionibus" begins with seven axioms outlining the heliocentric theory. These include the notions that the Earth rotates daily on its axis and revolves annually around the Sun. Copernicus provided detailed mathematical proofs and astronomical observations to support his heliocentric model. He described the motions of the planets more accurately than the Ptolemaic system, which placed the Earth at the center. While still using some elements of the Ptolemaic system, like epicycles, Copernicus significantly simplified the complex system of planetary motions. The publication of "De revolutionibus" is often considered the starting point of the Scientific Revolution. It fundamentally changed the way humanity understood the cosmos and our place within it. Initially, the book did not cause a major stir, but eventually, the Catholic Church condemned it, placing it on the Index of Forbidden Books in 1616 due to its contradiction with the geocentric view supported by the Church. Despite this, Copernicus' heliocentric theory paved the way for later astronomers like Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei, who further developed and provided more evidence for the heliocentric model. The book is divided into six parts. Book I outlines the heliocentric theory and provides a general explanation of the universe. Book II covers the principles of spherical astronomy as a basis for the heliocentric theory. Book III discusses the precession of the equinoxes and the apparent motion of the Sun. Book IV focuses on the Moon and its motion. Book V examines the motions of the planets, including retrograde motion. Finally, Book VI discusses the order of the planets and the orbit of the Earth, as well as an explanation of the various phenomena observed from Earth. Nicolaus Copernicus' "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" was a groundbreaking work that challenged the long-held geocentric model of the universe. By placing the Sun at the center and describing the motions of the planets around it, Copernicus laid the foundation for modern astronomy and the scientific revolution. His work fundamentally altered humanity's understanding of the cosmos and set the stage for future astronomical discoveries. This work is now rare and highly valuable.

Originals should have a title page with the year 1543 and the name of the publisher Johann Petreius. Originally published in Latin. The publication of "De revolutionibus" is often considered the starting point of the Scientific Revolution. Despite the initial muted reaction and later condemnation by the Catholic Church, the work fundamentally changed the way humanity understood the cosmos and our place within it. Copernicus' heliocentric theory paved the way for later astronomers like Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei, who further developed and provided more evidence for the heliocentric model, solidifying its place in the annals of scientific history.