Bonet de Lattes (Ben Immanuel Jacob)
Anulus astronomicus, 1492-93. Rome. Andreas Freitag.
Written by a Jewish Astronomer, personal physician to pope Alessandro VI
First rare edition of the main writing by Bonet de Lattes, a rabbi from Provence, astronomer and personal physician to pope Alessandro VI. The text describes the Anulus astronomicus, a sort of miniature astrolabe of his own invention that aids in measuring the altitude of the sun and the stars and determining the time with great precision, both in the daytime and nighttime, but which also allows one to calculate the ascendant and the positions of the 12 Zodiac houses.
First rare edition of the main writing by Bonet de Lattes, a rabbi from Provence, astronomer and personal physician to pope Alessandro VI. The text describes the Anulus astronomicus, a sort of miniature astrolabe of his own invention that aids in measuring the altitude of the sun and the stars and determining the time with great precision, both in the daytime and nighttime, but which also allows one to calculate the ascendant and the positions of the 12 Zodiac houses.
Further images
4to, (194 x 130 mm); 12 ll.; large woodcut within decorated border to verso of first leaf. 20th century gilt-tooled red Morocco by Lortic, coat of arms of Prince Essling to covers, title lettered in gilt and gilt monogram to spine, decorated cover-edges, elaborate inner dentelles, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Bookstamp with coat of arms to first and last leaf: “Guidiorum Fam. Cas. Guardiae Degens.”
“Bonetus de Latis also was astrologer to Alexander VI, according to Simon, and there is extant in print an Annulus astronomicus which he wrote for that pope. It describes a ring to be worn on the finger which is marked with the signs of the zodiac, degrees, and twelve months, and with which one may find the position and altitude of the sun, the sign and degree that is in the ascendent, the hour of day or night, the altitude of the stars, the positions of the planets, whether a planet is direct or retrograde, the latitude of cities and the height of towers”(Thorndike).
The woodcut to the verso of first leaf is particularly noteworthy: placed within an elegant border of pseudo-Florentine style, it is a copy of the image printed in Granollachs’ 1491 Florence edition (GW 11309; Rhodes, Firenze, 353); the experts stating that this was a copy of the illustration printed in Naples by Francesco del Tuppo appear to be mistaken (Rava, Arte, p. 76 and De Simone, A Heavenly Craft-Cat., p. 98).
Provenance: stamp to first and last leaf Guidiorum Fam. Cas. Guardiae Degens; Prince Essling, supralibros on boards.
HCR 9926; GW 4841; IGI 1956; BMC IV, 136; Goff L71; Sander 1210; Klebs 197; Houzeau-Lancaster 2304; Thorndike IV, 465-66.
“Bonetus de Latis also was astrologer to Alexander VI, according to Simon, and there is extant in print an Annulus astronomicus which he wrote for that pope. It describes a ring to be worn on the finger which is marked with the signs of the zodiac, degrees, and twelve months, and with which one may find the position and altitude of the sun, the sign and degree that is in the ascendent, the hour of day or night, the altitude of the stars, the positions of the planets, whether a planet is direct or retrograde, the latitude of cities and the height of towers”(Thorndike).
The woodcut to the verso of first leaf is particularly noteworthy: placed within an elegant border of pseudo-Florentine style, it is a copy of the image printed in Granollachs’ 1491 Florence edition (GW 11309; Rhodes, Firenze, 353); the experts stating that this was a copy of the illustration printed in Naples by Francesco del Tuppo appear to be mistaken (Rava, Arte, p. 76 and De Simone, A Heavenly Craft-Cat., p. 98).
Provenance: stamp to first and last leaf Guidiorum Fam. Cas. Guardiae Degens; Prince Essling, supralibros on boards.
HCR 9926; GW 4841; IGI 1956; BMC IV, 136; Goff L71; Sander 1210; Klebs 197; Houzeau-Lancaster 2304; Thorndike IV, 465-66.
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