May 11, 2010 - Sale 2214

Sale 2214 - Lot 125

Price Realized: $ 4,800
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 2,000 - $ 3,000
PTOLEMAEUS, CLAUDIUS. Quadripartitum. Centiloquium com commento Hali. Woodcut diagrams on a1v and a8v; white-on-black woodcut decorated initials throughout. [63] (of [68]) leaves; lacks h5-9 (Centiloquium aphorisms 67-91). Gothic type, with first 2 paragraphs on a2r printed in red. 4to, 210x154 mm, disbound; light marginal dampstaining toward end, single small wormhole in blank outer margins. (Venice: Erhard Ratdolt, 15 January 1484)
Set Alert for Similar Items

Additional Details

first edition of Ptolemy's 4-part textbook of astrology in the Latin translation by Plato of Tivoli from an Arabic version. The Greek original text was first published in 1535. "Book I explains the technical concepts of astrology, book II deals with the influences on the earth in general ('astrological geography' and weather prediction), and books III and IV with influences on human life" (DSB). This edition includes the pseudo-Ptolemaic Centiloquium, a collection of 100 astrological aphorisms in the Latin translation by John of Seville, also from Arabic, with commentary by the astrologer Haly (Abu l-Hasan 'Ali ibn Abi l-Rijal). BMC V, 288; DSB XI, 198; Essling 313; Goff P1088; Hoffmann III, 322; Sarton I, 277; Stillwell 96 ("the Bible of Astrology").