A RARE BOOK MYSTERY - I NEED YOUR HELP.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

It looks like it could be extracts from Riccioli's 1651 Almagestum Novum.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

c.f., IMG_5829-scaled.jpg and page 420 in vol 1 of the 1651 edition

[@sleepisthecousinofdeath7395]

Look who we have here another book man!

[@RareBookBuyer]

I will look into this an report if a match. Could be a compilation form many texts. Still begs the question of who compiled or wrote it.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

@@RareBookBuyer For sure, on that front I don't even have a guess. Hope you are well and see you at the fair in April!

[@MACTRUQUE]

fancy seeing the good Dr. Sledge here!

[@mdwag57]

"..all 16th century woodcuts go with Gilligan's island." brilliant!! These rare insights into the history of printing are as priceless as the vintage movie cuts and cartoon cutaway comedy!!

[@wonderfulbooksofoz]

Any updates? The Pennsylvania mention would suggest 17th century or later, but the crude map of Africa would suggest earlier than that. Unless they were referring to an earlier map or work.

[@RareBookBuyer]

I’ll try and make a brief update video this weekend

[@llywrch7116]

Now you have me curious about early American scientific circles. Did any influence Benjamin Franklin or his teachers -- about the only early American scientist I could mention off the top of my head.

[@gabrielplattes6253]

Without having examined any of the pages, it likely is an MS.-copy of a printed work. If the print run was small, and a work is hard to come by, copies would get made of a work in MS. it was a way of acquiring your own copy. Here, we have two c17 MS.-copies of Barba's Arte de Los Metales, 1640.

[@RareBookBuyer]

My sense would be that - but I think likely compiled from several sources. Just can’t identify them despite a lot of work

[@gabrielplattes6253]

@@RareBookBuyer Nice, nice. My trick is, to take a line of four or five clear words, and feed them into Google Books, bracketed by " either end (viz. "x x x x"). If the first attempt does not work, I try another, & another. That usually identifies the work. Then, I check the bibliographies, & Google Books, & the catalogue of Bayern State Library, and try and identify the edition. Lovely thing, btw, like a book owned by one of those Poe and Lovecraftian learned old Amsterdam characters.

[@RareBookBuyer]

I certainly tried that with Google books but to no avail alas

[@gabrielplattes6253]

@@RareBookBuyer Hrmm, that would suggest a work with just the one edition issued; & one that no-one has yet digitised. Fun puzzle you've got, Adam!

[@EM-fr5br]

Some drawings seem like they might be after Kepler. One looks like an early drawing of the moon through a telescope. So, maybe Thomas Harriot? Harriot went to North America as well.

[@RareBookBuyer]

Will look into this - thanks you!

[@sinclair2469]

he even wear the same shirt he was wearing on pawn stars when he sold the battle of bunkerhill document

[@RareBookBuyer]

I have a few of them ;)

[@sinclair2469]

@@RareBookBuyer haha :)

[@TVG249]

I have no input on the mystery but loved seeing and hearing about this book and the mystery of…

[@johntollenaar3585]

Is John Strachey an option?

[@RareBookBuyer]

Will investigate

[@jeffbrown2982]

If the book was written really well, you can probably rule out E.L. James as its author.

[@lArtemislll]

Have you figured it out?

[@RareBookBuyer]

Will post a short follow up soon. Did a lot of work

[@Nashvillain10SE]

Curious: If you are unable to obtain more background information, what my be your asking price? Asking for a friend 😁

[@RareBookBuyer]

Still working on that ;)

[@mdwag57]

I have an early version of this book, I'm pretty sure. My recent move has most things boxed up however. I will keep you in mind when i find it. davidaustbooks