Astrolabium planu[m] in tabulis ascendens : co[n]tinens qualibet hora atq[ue] mi[nu]to : equationes domoru[m] celi : mora[m] nati in vtero matris cu[m] quoda[m] tractatu natiuitatu[m] vtili ac ornato : nec no[n] horas inequales [pro] quo libet climate mundi.

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Accession number: 
PML 126008
Author: 
Angelus, Johannes, 1463-1512.
Published: 
Auguste vindelicoru[m] : Erhardi ratdolt Auguste[n]sis, Vigesimoseptimo kalendas Nouembris. M.cccc.lxxxviij [27 November (or 6 Oct.?) 1488].
Description: 
[176] leaves (last two blank) : illustrations (woodcuts) ; 25 cm. (4to)
Credit Line: 
Bequest of E. Clark Stillman, 1995.
Notes: 

Title from leaf [1]/1r.
Imprint from colophon, leaf D10v: Opus Astrolabij plani in tabulis: a Joha[n]ne Angeli artium liberaliu[m] magistro a noua elaboratu[m]: explicit feliciter. Erhardi ratdolt Auguste[n]sis viri solertis: eximia industria: [et] mira imprimendi arte: qua nup[er] venecijs: nunc Auguste vindelicoru[m] excellet nominatissimus. Vigesimoseptimo kalendas Nouembris. M.cccc.lxxxviij.
Printed in Ratdolt's types 8:90R, 4:76G, and 9:130G.
Signatures: [1]⁴; a-e⁸ f-s⁴ t-y⁸ z¹² A-C⁸ D¹²: 176 leaves, leaves D11-12 blank.
Paper format: Chancery quarto.
40 lines to a full-page; area of text: 151 x 123 mm. With ornamental woodcut initials, signatures; without foliation and catchwords. Register at end.
Contains astrological tables and over 400 woodcut illustrations including 80 miniatures, depicting the influence of the 12 signs of the zodiac on everyday life; features larger woodcuts of the individual constellations of the zodiac. Ratdolt reused many of the woodblocks from earlier astrological works. Cf. Schreiber, v. 5, pt. 1, p. xxxii.
PML copy leaf dimensions: 23.8 x 16.8 cm.

Binding: 
Contemporary Germany blind-tooled pigskin over wooden boards (25 x 17 cm), sewn on 3 supports by the "Hirsch dreieckig I" workshop in the region of Lake Constance (southern Baden-Württemberg) (EBDB w002471, active ca. 1459-1490 -- perhaps related to Weissenau?). 1 clasps, missing, with split catch. Contemporary manuscript German calendar leaves used as pastedowns.
Inscriptions/Markings: 

Hand decoration: Rubrication unrealized, where required. Printed initials and woodcuts painted in red, blue, green, and yellow. Annotations: Sporadic contemporary marginal notations. Leather fore edge tabs.

Provenance: 
Unidentified inscription: "Hainricus h[??]li altaris rathuβ," 15th century (leaf [1]/1r); Weissenau Monastery (Baden-Württemberg), Premonstratensian, inscription: "Monasterii Minoragiensis" (leaf [1]/1r), the monastery was dissolved in 1803 and part of the library went to: Bonaventura Brem, last Abbot of Weissenau (1755-1818), armorial bookplate (front pastedown), in 1849 these books went to: Graf Georg Ferdinand von Waldburg-Zeil (1823-1866); E. Clark Stillman (1907-1995), shelf mark: SP63 (leaf D13v); Pierpont Morgan Library, bequest of E. Clark Stillman, 1995.
Classification: 
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