A New Handling of the Planisphere. Wherein are contained all those Definitions, Theoremes, and Problemes, which are necessarie to the vnderstanding and practising of the principall Conclusions Astronomicall and Geographicall, both according to the vulgar manner, performed by the Astrolabe, and otherwise, by a plaine Circle diuided into 360. degrees, and by two right lines crossing the Center at right Angles
London: Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, for Simon Waterson and Rafe Iacson, 1601.
Price: $9,600.00
Octavo: 18 x 13.5 cm. 79, 82-99, [3] p. Collation: A-M4, N2
SOLE EDITION, bound with the THIRD EDITION of Robert Tanner’s “Treatise of the Use of the Globe Celestiall and Terrestriall” (see below.) The Oliver is rare, with only five copies in North America (Folger, Princeton, Huntington, Yale, and Simon Fraser Univ.)
Two 17th c. English treatises, bound together, that provide instruction on the use of instruments for astronomy, navigation, timekeeping, and geography. Bound in 18th c sponged calf, rebacked, with light wear at the corners and extremities. Oliver’s book is cut close at the head, affecting some headlines and shaving some of the manuscript annotations. (about which see below.) A small sliver of the lower blank margin of the title has been snipped off. The last leaf (N2) contains an illustration intended to cancel that on p. 35. Tanner’s work is lightly browned, with soiling to the opening leaves (in particular to the second, third, and verso of the final leaf. There are light tallow stains on a handful of leaves. The second and fourth leaf have small marginal restorations (not affecting the text.).
Oliver’s work has contemporary (17th c.) corrections and one addition in the text, as well as numerous marginal notes directing the reader to various illustrated figures in the book. Whether these are authorial or were made by a 17th c. reader is impossible to determine.
These two 17th c. English treatises provide instruction on the use of instruments for astronomy, navigation, timekeeping, and geography. Thomas Oliver’s “Planisphere” is a treatise on practical astronomy and the structure and use of mathematical instruments, illustrated with more than sixty woodcuts. The book discusses the astrolabe, a planisphere and auxiliary instruments, including a quadrant, scale triangle, and an instrument for determining the meridian line and variation of the compass. Robert Tanner’s manual is an introduction for students in mathematics, for use by travelers in the art of navigation, and for others seeking knowledge of celestial phenomena, including the motions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and fixed stars. He identifies numerous New World locations, including Brazil, Patagonia, New Spain, Florida, California, New France, Greenland, the Strait of Magellan, and the West Indies.
The “Planisphere” is his the principal work of Thomas Oliver (d. 1624), who practiced medicine at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. In addition to this work, he published Latin treatises on logic, geometry, medicine, and the quadrature of the circle, while two mathematical manuscripts preserved in the British Library remained unpublished.
More than sixty woodcut diagrams accompany Oliver’s the text, including full-page and half-page geometrical constructions, celestial-sphere diagrams, constellation figures, and instruments. These are integral to Oliver's demonstrations, with each proposition and instrument instruction referring directly to the illustrations.
In his address to the reader, Oliver explains that the work originated from several geographical problems which he found could be solved upon a plane by ruler and compasses alone. These investigations were gradually extended until they embraced “most conclusions of the Astrolabe” relating to the primum mobile. His purpose is not to describe the construction of the astrolabe itself, but to demonstrate how its principal astronomical operations may be performed upon a prepared planisphere and with a small number of inexpensive auxiliary instruments. He acknowledges the influence of such scientists as Christopher Clavius, Ptolemy (the “Analemma”), Guidobaldo del Monte, Francesco Maurolico, and Gemma Frisius.
The third section, "Supplement Organicall," is illustrated with woodcut diagrams showing the geometrical construction of a quadrant, a scale triangle, and an instrument for determining the meridian line and the variation of the compass. Additional figures illustrate the preparation and use of the principal plate, together with geometrical diagrams accompanying the discussions of maps, charts, and nautical applications. Elsewhere, the volume is illustrated with large circular planisphere diagrams, diagrams of the celestial sphere and its principal circles, constellation figures centred on the Pole Star, and numerous lettered geometrical figures accompanying the individual propositions. These woodcuts are integral to the text, serving as working figures for Oliver's geometrical constructions rather than as illustrations alone.
In the earlier sections of the book, Oliver introduces the geometry of the celestial sphere and defines the astronomical terms employed throughout the remainder of the treatise. Oliver explains the horizon, meridian, zenith, nadir, poles, equinoctial, ecliptic, zodiac, tropics, colures, declination circles, azimuths, almucantars, right and oblique ascension, and the remaining circles of the sphere. The text is accompanied by woodcut diagrams of the celestial sphere, together with figures illustrating the principal circles and the circumpolar constellations, including the Big Dipper (“Charles's Wain”) and Ursa Minor in relation to the Pole Star.
The second and largest section consists of fifty-nine numbered “Conclusions,” each accompanied by geometrical figures printed in the text. It opens with the construction of the working planisphere, represented by a large circular diagram divided into concentric rings for the zodiac, equinoctial, hours, and limb, crossed by diameters through the centre. Using this figure, Oliver explains how to determine the altitude and azimuth of the sun and fixed stars, measure angular distances between celestial bodies, construct declinations, meridian altitudes, and geographical latitude, and derive right and oblique ascensions, ascensional differences, hour angles, temporal hours, and related astronomical quantities. The accompanying diagrams are integral to the demonstrations, each proposition referring directly to the lettered figures through which the geometrical constructions are performed.
ESTC S113509; STC (2nd ed.) 18810
[BOUND WITH]
R. T. (Robert Tanner) (fl. 1584–1616)
A brief treatise of the use of the globe celestiall and terrestriall. Wherein is set downe the principles of the mathematicks, fit for all travellers, navigators, and all others that doe love the knowledge of the same art.
London: Printed by T. Forcet, for Wil: Lugger, 1647
Quarto: 18 x 13.5 cm. [4], 35, [1] p. Collation: A-E4
THIRD EDITION (First ed. 1616. This book is not the same as Tanner’s “A briefe treatise for the ready vse of the sphere”, London: 1592)
This English manual presents the principles of astronomy, cosmography, and spherical geography through the practical operation of celestial and terrestrial globes. The author begins by describing both types of globe, explaining their features before instructing the reader in their use.
The section on the terrestrial globe explains the five climatic zones, latitude measured from the equinoctial, and longitude measured eastward from a meridian through the Azores. The section on the celestial globe follows the traditional division of 48 constellations into 21 northern, 12 zodiacal, and 15 southern groups. The globe is said to contain 1,025 principal stars, including 120 outside the named constellations, with traditional estimates of their relative sizes ranging from eighteen to 107 times the Earth.
The two practical sections comprise problems to be solved by the reader. There are 22 propositions concerning the Sun, 11 concerning the stars, two further solar propositions, and eight for the terrestrial globe. They teach the reader to determine celestial positions, sunrise and sunset, ascension, and local time; to calculate the rising, setting, latitude, and longitude of stars; and to obtain terrestrial coordinates, distances, directions, and differences in time and daylight. Tables and examples use places across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
The concise geographical survey divides the Earth into Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, defining their boundaries and listing their principal provinces, islands, and seas. America is divided into “Peruana” and “Mexicana,” with locations including Brazil, Patagonia, New Spain, Florida, California, New France, Greenland, the Strait of Magellan, and the East and West Indies. The author also names China, Egypt, Madagascar, and the Moluccas. Asia is identified as the part of the world in which Paradise and the Land of Promise were situated.
The concluding section presents a geocentric cosmology in which earth, water, air, and fire are surrounded by the spheres of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, followed by the starry firmament, the crystalline heaven, and the primum mobile. Beyond the outermost sphere lies the habitation of God and the angels. The final page gives the characters of the seven planets and lunar nodes and tables assigning planetary rulers to the hours of day and night.
Very little is known about the life of the author, Robert Tanner, an English mathematical practitioner who described himself as a gentleman and practitioner in astrology, astronomy, and physic. His writings combined the practical use of instruments with astronomy, navigation, surveying, geography, and astrological calculation.
Oliver: ESTC S113509; STC (2nd ed.) 18810. Tanner: ESTC R2362; Wing T-45