Navigation

1735 · Best.-Nr. LC4E9Q4RAGZB — Holland 1735. Green paper wrappers made from a discarded prospectus or the wrapper of an instalment of a book ca. 1865 sewn at 6 stations some perhaps without supports later green cloth spine with the title in manuscript on the front wrapper. Folio 31.5 x 20.5 cm. A manuscript course in navigation written in brown ink on laid paper in a largely upright cursive hand with 6 colour figures including 2 volvelles about 100 black and white diagrams and numerous tables of data highlighted with a yellow wash. A detailed manuscript course in the art of navigation in folio format with figures in colour including two volvelles partly based on the very rare first edition in 8vo format of Klaas de Vries 1662-1730 Schat-kamer ofte konst der stier-lieden 1702; Crone 374 probably in the first issue not known to survive before the insertion of an additional quire between B and C. But the manuscript doesn't merely copy the printed book: at least much of the text differs and also at least some of the tabular data and some of the figures also have no direct equivalents in the printed book also not in later editions as far as we have seen. The colour illustrations include a compass rose 13.8 cm diameter with a ship in the centre directly copied from the folding engraved plate in De Vries and virtually the same size but the ship in the centre is copied in mirror image and De Vries's abstract floral decorations in the corners outside the circle are replaced by colour drawings of four different flowers one in each corner. The manuscript also directly copies De Vries's woodcut illustration of a human hand marked with the numbers "29" "9" and "19" on the thumb and the letters A B and C next to them presented as an aid to calculating the epact the number of days past the new moon on 1 January but the hand is rotated 180 degrees. Most of the examples of calculations use years in the period 1700-1711 though there are a few later ones one example uses the year 1809! which also largely agrees with the 1702 edition of De Vries though the examples are not identical. The clearest indication that the present manuscript follows the 1702 edition rather than a later one is that the tables giving differences between the positions of the sun and moon cover the years 1701-1704 as in the first edition before the insertion of an extra quire extending the tables to 1710 B8 was replaced at the same time not noted by Crone. All later editions we have seen give these tables and the examples of calculations for later years. Yet even in these tables the data in the present manuscript doesn't exactly agree with De Vries's. With a bookseller's ticket ca. 1901/1919. Very slightly browned with occasional minor spots or ink stains but still in good condition. The one leaf that appears to be lacking may have been deliberately cancelled by the compiler. The wrapper has a later cloth spine as noted and is somewhat worn. A fascinating manuscript course in navigation with volvelles and other figures in colour partly based on the very rare first 1702 edition of De Vries's handbook but not merely copying it.l For De Vries's 1702 handbook: Crone 374 collation not entirely correct. hardcover