Three circa 1720 German hand-colored astronomical and historical charts, two published by Johann Baptist Homann and one by Christoph Weigel. Various sizes, two approximately 21 x 25 inches sheet size, the third approximately 18 x 14 3/4 inches sheet size. Loose as issued. Minor wear along old folds, light marginal spotting, one of the two larger charts with some minor browning from an old mount or frame, overall very good. Nuremberg: circa 1720s.

Johann Baptist Homann (1664-1724) was a leading German geographer and cartographer who was appointed Imperial Geographer by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI and named a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences in 1715. He was the most prominent and prolific map publisher of his time. He created his masterpiece, Grosser Atlas ueber die ganze Welt, in cooperation with the engraver Christop Weigel the Elder (1654-1725). Weigel was a German engraver, publisher, and art dealer who studied engraving in Augsburg and started his own publishing house in Nuremberg.

The first chart in this collection, titled "Ephemerides Motuum Coelestium Geometricae", was a collaboration between German astronomer and cartographer Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr (1677-1750) and Homann. It was first produced in 1710 to help explain Copernicus's theories of planetary and retrograde motion. It was part of a larger celestial atlas, the "Atlas Novus Coelestis". The chart contains a circular diagram illustrating the heliocentric model of the solar system, with the sun at the center currounded by the orbits of the planets. Due to scale, the only planets shown are Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. There are also allegorical descriptions of the planets, with Earth being shown as a winged Gaia with a cornucopia, and the other planets shown as putti - Mars with a sword and shield, Venus with a torch, Mercury with winged sandals and the caduceus, Jupiter with lightning, and Saturn with scythe and hourglass.

The second chart, "Sphaera Mundi", was also created as a collaboration between Doppelmayr and Homann and served as the introductory plate to the Atlas Novus Celestis. This chart focuses on celestial cartography and provides an overview of spherical geometry in relation to the celestial sphere. It illustrates the primary celestial coordinates of the equator, the ecliptic, and tropical and polar circles, which are essential points for mapping the movement of the stars and planets. The chart emphasizes the scientific understanding of the universe at the time of its publication.

The third and final chart, "Discus Chronologicus - Regum Utriusque Sicilae et Ducum Principumque Italiae Praecipuorum", was the creation of Weigel. This circular chart, with moveable volvelle, forms a calendar of kingdoms and duchies in Italy from the year 1000 to 1800, but without printed entires after 1718. It showcases all of the kings, princes, and dukes of the most important reigns, including the Kingdom of Naples, the Kingdom of Sicily, the Duchy of Savoy, the Duchy of Milan, the Duchy of Este, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy of Mantua, the Duchy of Monferrato, the Ducy of Mirandola, the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, and the Duchy of Massa and Carrara. The calendar was part of Weigel's travel atlas, Atlas scholasticus et itinerarius.

As of July 2026, OCLC locates two holdings in North America of the first chart, one of the second chart, and none of the third.

Book ID: 53697

Price: $1,950.00