HEVELIUS, Johannes (1611-1687) - Cometographia, totem naturam cometarum.. exhibens.. cumprimis vero, cometae anno 1652, 1661, 1661 & 1665. Gdansk: Simon Reiniger per l'autore, 1668.   A crisp copy printed on paper of exceptional quality of the first edition of Hevelius' renown work dedicated to comets. The engraved frontispiece depicts Hevelius sitting at a table with a cometary orbit shown as a conic section combined with a spiral, the sun at the focus of the former. By contrast, a figure of Aristotle holds an illustration of some linear and sublunary cometary paths. Below is a valuable illustration of Hevelius' house and observation platform' (DSB). The first part of the work is dedicated to the famous comet of 1652, while the subsequent parts focus on the parallax of comets, their physical composition, origin and matter and hypothesize that these extraordinary celestial bodies moved with a parabolic movement.   Folio (363 x 223mm). Half-title, engraved frontispiece, 38 engraved plates of which 4 double-page and folding, numbered A-OO, engraved illustrations throughout, woodcut and engraved initials, head and tailpieces (without blank a2, half title mounted on stub, some short tears without loss to half-title associated with a paper flaw, plate Z with closed marginal tear on old paper repair, plate OO irregularly cut at margin and folded, 2i4 with marginal tear to bottom margin, some light foxing mainly on upper margin and occasional light browning). Contemporary vellum (rebacked, rubbed at extremities with some associated tiny splits); within modern slipcase. Provenance: Heinrich Wilhelm von Starhemberg (1593-1675; bibliophile, contemporary ownership inscription on top margin of frontispiece).

Estimate € 20,000 - 30,000

Sold € 20,000