Leopoldus de Austria

Augsburg, Ratholt 1489

Hain-Copinger 10042, Houseau 4702, Zinner 364, Stilwell 71

In small cuarto, 109 lvs as follows

A;B;C;D;E;F;G;H;I;K;L;M;N in 8; O in six missing last blank

A1: Letter title

A2: Full page woodcut: Armillary sphere

A2: verso: dedication by the printer Rathold

A3: incipit

Text in 6 chapters, richly illustrated with old colored woodcuts

O5: Colophon, Compilatio Leopoldi Ducatis Filii....Januarii 1489 currente

35 half page woodcut of constellations; 54 half page illustrations of zodiac images. Two astronomical diagrams, printed in red and black (B1 recto and B8 verso) and colored initials throughout.

Cut and rebound in old vellum. First and last leaf completed with contemporary paper, not affecting the text. Tiny marginal wormholes of first 8 leaves with old restoration, again not affecting the text.

First printing of mediaeval astronomical, astrological and metrological text, richly illustrated and coloured. Here and there with contemporary, manuscript notes.

The source of most of the text and images is Hyginus, librarian of Emperor Augustus. An other source is Ptolemys Almagest with 48 constellations.

The printing of this book by Ratdolt is no surprise as he worked as a woodcutter for Regiomontanus, the man who established the first scientific printing press.