Galileo, Galgemair, and Brentel, 1615

[GALILEI, Galileo (1564-1642)], Georg GALGEMAIR (1564-1619), and Georg BRENTEL the younger (1581-1634). Kurtzer gründlicher gebesserter unnd vermehrter Underricht, zubereitung und gebrauch, der hochnutzlichen mathematischen Instrumenten, Porportional Schregmass und Circkels. Ulm: Johann Meder, 1615.

The Tomash copy of the first edition of this exceedingly rare account of the Galilean compass, an important text in the history of the early dissemination of Galileo’s revolutionary instrument. This work consists of two parts. The first is a German paraphrase of Galileo’s privately printed account of the use of the instrument (probably based on Mathias Bernegger’s 1613 Latin translation). To this text Galgemair has added instructions for constructing the instrument "as improved and augmented by Georg Galgemair," as well as a full-size engraving showing both sides of the instrument; Galileo had intentionally omitted both in his original account to prevent piracy. Galgemair also included a number of demonstrations on its use which were not derived from Galileo. Neither Galileo, nor the other early writers on the Galilean compass such as Faulhaber, are mentioned in the text and the work has largely escaped Galileo’s bibliographers. The large engraved plate is one of the earliest and probably the largest illustration of the modified Galilean compass.

The second part of the work is a reprint of Galgemair’s 1610 work on the proportional compass (a much different instrument), itself largely a reprint of Hulsius’s 1604 work on the same. It was commissioned and edited by Georg Brentel, a scientific artist who had been a pupil of Philipp Apian, son of the famous Peter Apian. Tomash B-243 (under Brentel); BL German 17th-century STC G32; Zinner, Astronomische Instrumente des 11. bis 18. Jahrhunderts, p. 266 (under Brentel).

Quarto (190 x 150mm). Woodcut title by Lucas Killian to title, one large folding engraving (380 x 254mm) of the Galilean compass and a folding woodcut plate of the proportional compass, woodcut diagrams and illustrations in text (a little light toning). Contemporary vellum with paper label with manuscript title on upper board, remains of ties, edges red. Provenance: partially crossed-out inscription dated 1616 – Fürst Wolfgang Engelbert zu Augsperg (inscription dated 1655) – Fürstlich Auerspergische Fideicommisbibliothek zu Laybach (bookplate) – Erwin Tomash (bookplate).