GIRAULT, Simon.
Globe du monde contenant un bref traité du ciel & de la terre.
Langres, Jean des Preyz, 1592. 4to. With a woodcut on the title-page showing an armillary sphere, 3 woodcut folding plates of the solar system, a celestial chart in two hemispheres and a (terrestrial) map of the world in two hemispheres, 4 woodcut maps in the text (including a map of Europe), many astronomical and cosmographical woodcut figures and tables in the text and woodcut head- and tailpieces and initials.18th-century half brown sheepskin, brown paper sides. 92 ll.
€ 18,000
Rare French 16th-century astronomical, cosmographical and geographical work by Simon Girault. This short treatise, comprising three books presented in the form of a dialogue between two children named Charles and Marguerite, discussing several aspects of heaven and earth. The first book discusses celestial movements and circles, the second book treats the solar system more extensively, the quality of different planets, the size of the earth and its proportion and distance to the other celestial bodies. Girault also discusses why the sun appears to be larger in the winter than in the summer, explains eclipses and tells more about the directions and retrograde movements of several planets. The third book is more on terrestrial topics.
With manuscript inscriptions on the first free endleaf and on the title-page. Binding worn, corners bumped, parts of the backstrip loose, some (water)staining, slightly dust-soiled, with some small tears, mainly in the foot margin (some repaired) and a wormhole in the foot and one in the fore-edge margin. Otherwise in good condition. A rare astronomical work. BM STC French, p. 203; Brunet II, col. 1614 (note); Graesse III, p. 89; Houzeau & Lancaster 4962; Pettegree, French vernacular books 23076 & 23077 (2 identical descriptions!); USTC 37546; not in Adams; Mortimer, French.
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