Rare books from Mobilis Books

"To know the altitude of the Sun over the Horizon in whichever day and hour by the rays of the Sun"-- the function of the first volvelle instrument in this edition of Peter Apian's Cosmographia
APIAN, Peter. La Cosmographia de Pedro Apiano, corregida y añadida por Gemma Frisio, Medico y Mathematico. La manera de descrivir y situar los Lugares, con el uso del Anillo Astronomico, del mismo Auctor Gemma Frisio. El sitio y descripcion de las Indias y Mundo Nuevo, sacada de la Historia de Francisco Lopez de Gomara, y de la cosmographia de Ieronymo Girava Tarragonez. En Anvers. Por Juan Bellero al Aguila de Oro. Con privilegio de su M. D.LXXV. [1575].
Second Spanish edition. (235 x 170) ff [2], 68, [14] . Contemporary or near contemporary limp vellum binding with manuscript title and date on spine. Some ca. 17th c. binding waste from La vita di Maria Vergine imperatrice by Lucrezia Marinelli. Early owner's notation in front and back of binding. Two lead clasps and string fasteners original to binding.… Read More

In the 9th century, the Persian scholar Al-Farghani wrote his Elements of Astronomy on the Celestian Motions (or, Astronomia differentia, also titled Alfragani Elementa Astronomica, because of the lack of authority titles in the pre-Modern period). In part a summary of Ptolomy's Greek Almagest, and in part a scientific tour de force in its own right, the Elements of Astronomy presented a (correct) calculation of the circumference of the earth and the tilt of the Earth's axis. In the 12th century, this Arabic text was translated into Latin, first by John of Seville, then by Gerard of Cremona. The Latin text puts to bed the tired fallacy that particularly Medieval peoples believed the Earth was flat. On this leaf the last line reads: Dicamusque cum puncto sphere terre esset punctus sphere celi necesse fuit ut superficies circuli equinoctii diei divideret superam terre… [And let us say that when the point of the sphere of the earth be the point of the sphere of the sky, it is necessary that the surface… Read More

First edition, first state. Ian Fleming, Goldfinger, London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. Overall very good condition. Dust jacket currently housed in protective, but removable, mylar. Interior is bright without markings; cloth covers are crisp without issue. Some foxing along foredges, otherwise no condition issues to report. One of the best known James Bond aventures, Goldfinger is the seventh of Ian Fleming's culture-changing series and the third opportunity Sir Sean Connery had to seduce us all via the film franchize that launched from the novels.

Dutch, 1400s (75 x 50 mm) Small illumination of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Borders trimmed historically. Blank on verso.
This small illumination was the bespoke part of a Book of Hours. As the production of books became more mechanised for "popular" consumption throughout the later Middle Ages, often the text portion of Books of Hours would be written on-spec to reflect the appropriate set of prayers for a region or church's mandate. For example, we have the Use of Rome, Use of Sarum (Salisbury), Use of Paris, to name a few well-known ones. The text books would be bought by the rising middle class and, if they could afford it, illuminations would be later tipped in to reflect their interests. These illuminations ranged from patron portraits to biblical scenes established for certain canonical hours. Since the illustrations were later additions to the existing text, they would be blank on one side.
This illustration, blank on one side, shows Jesus after the Resurrection (see the stigmata on his feet and… Read More

The Birthday Oracle, or Whom Shall I Marry: Guess at the Character or Appearance of Your Future Husband or Wife. Edinburgh: William P. Nimmo, 1883.
(105 x 85 mm) pp. 248, [8]. Machline binding with photo of Old Aberdeen Cathedral. Leather spine with gilt panels. Floral endpapers and decorative edges. Full gilt foredges. Ornamental border printed on all pages. Names written adjacent to birthdays, with dates ranging from 1880s to 1950s (several dates pre-date book's publication indicating birth year of person rather than date inscribed). Includes handwritten index of names (19th c.).
This Mauchline-wear binding relic of the Victorian era shows continued usage from the 1880s to the 1950s— following the hopes of several (possibly related?) families through height of the Spiritualist movement, through the First and Second World Wars into Britain's Post-War period. The Birthday Oracle falls into the Victorian middle class fervour for accessing knowledge from beyond the veil. Though true Spiritualists… Read More

[GOBAT, Samuel] Journal d'un Séjour en Abyssinia, pendant les années 1830, 1831, et 1832. Paris: Chez J.-J. Risler, Rue de l'Oratoire, No. 6; Genève: Chez Mme. Suzane Guers. [1835]
(250 x 130 mm) pp. viii, 438. Signatures: 27 (8), 28 (3). Text complete. Lacks frontispiece portrait and foldout map. Half title, followed by title. Browning and foxing commensurate with age. Some text in Ge'ez (401). Ex libris Clinton E Geiser (Anglo-Swiss financier, d. 2010) pasted over older bookplate now obscured. Bound in Paris green book cloth (indicative of arsenical binding) with ornate floral stamping and gilding. Some flaking to spine. Overall GOOD condition despite faults.

ABOUT THE TEXT:

Parmi tant de travaux intéressant opérés depuis quelques années par les missionnaires de l'Evangile, on peut certainement mettre au premier rang les efforts fait par M. Samuel Gobat pour rallumer en Abyssinia le pur flambeau du Christianisme.
[Among so many interesting works carried out in recent years by the… Read More