KIRCH (Gottfried)
Alter und neuer rechter Astronomische Wunder-Kalender
WITH AN ACCOUNT OF MOCTEZUMA
An extremely rare German astronomical calendar with a wonderful frontispiece, showing two 17th-century astronomers.
The continuous text located in the middle column (A2-D2)in the first part of the calendar is by the hugely prolific Gottfried Kirch (1639-1710) and contains an account of Montezuma and the conquest of Mexico, together with attendant ‘wonders’. The second part of the work is more astronomical or astrological in character. The work also contains items of economic interest: H1v-I2r contains the alphabetic table of livestock and markets in various German cities, and on I2v are the details of the post from Leipzig both by horse and on foot.
On the title-page to Part 2 Lunitz is described also as a Bookbinder as well as a publisher. He was active in Leipzig 1668-169, and published prayerbooks, roadbooks, works on singing and other popular books, including three editions of this Calendar.
VD 17 23: 653283L (HAB and Nürnberg only.)
Provenance: Earls of Macclesfield, armorial blind stamp to the lower blank margin of the first couple of leaves.
