APIANUS, Petrus

Instrumentum sinuum seu primi mobilis nuper Petro Apriano inventum, nunc autem ab eodem diligenter recognitum & locupletatum. Cuius tractatione, cum genuinus & latissime patens Sinuum usus clarissime deprehenditur, tum vero quicquid earundem Sinuu

      Nuremberg: Joh. Petreius. 1541. Modern black morocco in antique style with morocco trimmed slipcase. Folio . Second (1st: 1534), enlarged and corrected edition of this important instrument book by Petrus Apianus (1495-1552) who "... was a pioneer in astronomical and geographical instrumentation, and one of the most successful popularizers of these subjects during the sixteenth century. He studied mathematics and astronomy at Leipzig and Vienna, and quickly established a reputation as an outstanding mathematician" (DSB I, pp. 178- 9). He published a number of important works in his fields of astronomy, geography and mathematics: "Of greater scientific significance, however, is Apian's Instrumentum sinuum sive primi mobilis (1534), where he calculates sines for every minute, with the radius divided decimally. These are the first such tables ever printed" (ibid.).#11;In addition to providing a new preface to the work (dated September 1540) van Ortroy notes numerous other differences. First of all the first edition also included an astronomy work by Gerber that Petreius didn't bother to reprint here. However he notes that Apian has included numerous marginal notes and two new leaves of text as an appendix to the "Quadrans primi mobilis" (leaves [c4]-d1). The work is very rare [88] pp. Large title woodcut, with full-page armoral woodcut on verso, numerous diagrams and a set of tables. Title printed in red and black. ! VD 16, A 3088; IA. 106.434; Adams A-1293; Houzeau-Lancaster, 2399; Zinner 1768; van Ortroy, Apian, 108