"[Lot of 5] Planisferio Celeste Settentrionale... [and] Planisferio Celeste Meridionale... [and] Posizione Diversa Degli Abitanti della Terra [and] Mappa dell' Universo... [and] Tavola Sferica", Zatta, Antonio

This matched set consists of the first five plates from Zatta's Atlante Novissimo including:

A & B. [Lot of 2] Planisferio Celeste Settentrionale Tagliato sull' Equatore and Planisferio Celeste Meridionale Tagliato sull' Equatore, dated 1777, hand color. A matched pair of celestial charts covering the entire night sky based on Hevelius. The former locates the non-Ptolemaic constellations of Antinous, Chioma di Berenice, Giraffa, Alicorno, Musca and the 8 northern Hevelius ones. Surrounded by engravings of four important Italian observatories at Pisa, Padua, Milano, and Bologna. The latter locates the non-Ptolemaic constellations of Colomba, the 12 of Keyser & Houtman, Quercia di Carlo, and Scuto Sobieski. Surrounded by engravings of four important observatories at Copenhagen, Greenwich, Cassel, and Paris, each with astronomers on the roof viewing through telescopes. Both maps have a legend that gives the brightness of stars from magnitude 1 to 6. Drawn by G. Zuliani and engraved by G. Pitteri.

C. Posizione Diversa Degli Abitanti della Terra, dated 1779, hand color. This informative plan includes five spheres plus eight drawings of the known planets, the sun and the moon. The diameter is optimistically given for each planet. The large central sphere describes the spatial relationship of the "Residence of the Land" on different parts of the Earth. Saturn is shown with five satellites and Jupiter with four. This plate is "Tavola III." found at upper right.

D. Mappa dell' Universo e de' due piu Celebri Sistemi Planetarj, dated 1777, hand color. This sheet includes two large diagrams showing the Ptolemaic and Copernican views of the Universe with the Earth and Sun at center respectively. Decorated by a strapwork title cartouche with an illustration of Saturn in the cusp.

E. Tavola Sferica, dated 1777, black & white. This attractive sheet contains 5 spheres including two views of the spherical earth, a celestial sphere, and two wind roses.

References: Kanas, pp. 211-212; Warner p. 267; Phillips (A) #651.

Condition: B+

Issued folding on watermarked paper with light scattered foxing and short centerfold separations at top. The first map (<i>Planisferio Celeste Settentrionale</i>) has more noticeable staining and foxing along the centerfold (B).