Catalog Archive
Auction 131, Lot 66

"Planispheres Celeste, Par Mr. de la Hire…", La Hire/De Fer

Subject: Celestial

Period: 1705 (dated)

Publication: L'Atlas Curieux ou Le Monde…

Color: Hand Color

Size:
13.2 x 9.2 inches
33.5 x 23.4 cm
Download High Resolution Image
(or just click on image to launch the Zoom viewer)

This decorative twin hemisphere star chart is the work of Philippe de la Hire, a notable French astronomer, and was engraved by Herman van Loon. Warner speculates this small map was a prototype for his larger celestial maps that were also published by De Fer. The allegorical constellations figures are derived from Bayer's Uranometria. The spheres are surrounded by several diagrams of the sun, moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn - each with their namesakes in Greek mythology. This is the second state.

References: Kanas #7.12.2; Warner, p. 145, #3a.

Condition: A

Nice impression and original color. There are a couple of tissue repairs in the blank margins.

Estimate: $500 - $600

Sold for: $375

Closed on 3/17/2010

Archived