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Details
FONTANA, Francesco (1602-1656). Novae coelestium, terrestriumque rerum observationes. Naples: Gassari, 1646.
4o (197 x 144 mm). Etched title within architectural border, etched portrait of Fontana, 27 etchings (many full page, one shaved slightly just crossing image), 26 woodcuts, numerous woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces. (Index leaves A4-5 and portrait of the author misbound between pp. 10-11, a few very minor marginal waterstains, a few minor wormtracks to a few gutter margins at end, otherwise a fresh and crisp unsophisticated copy.) Contemporary limp vellum.
FIRST EDITION of the most outstanding optical-astronomical treatise after Galileo's Dialogo and a fine example of scientific book illustration. It contains the first printed account of spots on the surface of Mars, as well as Fontana's claims to the discovery of the telescope and microscope. Houzeau & Lancaster II:1328; Riccardi I:467 ("Raro ed apprezzato"). VERY RARE.
4o (197 x 144 mm). Etched title within architectural border, etched portrait of Fontana, 27 etchings (many full page, one shaved slightly just crossing image), 26 woodcuts, numerous woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces. (Index leaves A4-5 and portrait of the author misbound between pp. 10-11, a few very minor marginal waterstains, a few minor wormtracks to a few gutter margins at end, otherwise a fresh and crisp unsophisticated copy.) Contemporary limp vellum.
FIRST EDITION of the most outstanding optical-astronomical treatise after Galileo's Dialogo and a fine example of scientific book illustration. It contains the first printed account of spots on the surface of Mars, as well as Fontana's claims to the discovery of the telescope and microscope. Houzeau & Lancaster II:1328; Riccardi I:467 ("Raro ed apprezzato"). VERY RARE.