Item 19 is another important first of printing, the RudimentumNovitiorum, printed in 1475. This was an encyclopedic style history of the world, broken down into six eras. The final is the Christian era, and the book was likely written by a theologian for the benefit of young clerics. What is most notable is that the book contains the first real maps beyond the simple “T-O” diagram, preceding the first atlas by two years. The detailed world map incorporates reality with artistic license. Various cities and states are shown in roughly the right locations, but without regard to size. Each is shown as a similarly sized hill in an essentially correct location. Mythical creatures abound, though this was true for centuries of more accurate maps that followed too. The map of Palestine, however, is a more realistic depiction of the land from a bird's-eye perspective. Price on request.
Item 69 is the first printed encyclopedia of women. Printed in 1497, and created by the monk Giacomo Filippo Foresti da Bergamo, it bears the title Declarismulieribus(of famous women), a reused name. A similar work was created in the 14th century, in manuscript form obviously, by Giovanni Boccaccio. However, Bergamo updated the collection of women, focusing more on those of notable accomplishments, the earlier version being a mix of heroic and evil women. This is updated to include some contemporary women and as such includes seven portraits taken from actual likenesses of the women. This copy carries the provenance of the great chronicler of the 15th century, Hartmann Schedel, creator of the NurembergChronicle. It remained with Schedel's family until sold by his grandson in 1552. €250,000 (US $314,400).
Koller Auctions Books & Autographs 18 September 2024
Koller, Sep. 18: Cowper, William. Anatomia corporum humanorum ab excellentissimis… Utrecht, 1750. CHF 25,000 to 40,000
Koller, Sep. 18: Bell, Thomas. A Monograph of the Testudinata. London [1836-1842]. CHF 20,000 to 30,000.
Koller, Sep. 18: Gould, John. A monograph of the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds [and] Supplement completed after the authors death…, London [1849-]1861 and [1880-]1887. CHF 50,000 to 80,000.
Koller Auctions Books & Autographs 18 September 2024
Koller, Sep. 18: Gould, John. The birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan Islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia. CHF 50,000 to 80,000.
Koller, Sep. 18: Levaillant, François. Histoire naturelle des oiseaux de paradis et des rolliers, suivie de celle des toucans et des barbus. Paris [1801-]1806. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.
Koller, Sep. 18: Pfinzing, Melchior. Die geverlicheiten und einsteils der geschichten des loblichen streytparen…, Nürnberg, 1517. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: HAMILTON, Sir William - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: 1779. € 50,000 - 80,000
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: KIRCHER, Athanasius - Turris Babel. Amsterdam: 1679. € 3,000 - 5,000
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: EDWARDS, George.London - Gleanings of Natural History. Londra: 1758-1764. € 7,000 - 10,000
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: HEVELIUS, Johannes - Cometographia. Danzica: 1668. € 20,000 - 30,000
Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: KUPKA, Frantisek - Quatre histoires de blanc et noir. Parigi: 1926. € 10,000 - 15,000