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| Competing Concepts of the Solar System - Philosophia Britannica - Benjamin Martin |
Last Christmas my brother presented me with a thoughtful and interesting gift. Carefully rolled within a golden cardboard tube was a page from an unbound book. The sheet, yellowed with apparent age, was nonetheless in good shape. On the illustrated face were two sets of concentric, multiple circles -- depictions of competing concepts of the organization of our solar system. Turns out the page was an original, bought by my brother from a company that specializes in such things! Here's what was printed on an insert that accompanied the sheet:
"This is an original engraving from the 1771 edition of the Philosophia Britannica by the British author, mathematician and master instrument builder Benjamin Martin (1704 - 1782) contrasting diagrams of the planetary system according to Ptolemy and Tycho Brahe - note anthropomorphic sun at the centre of the latter.
"At his well equipped Fleet Street shop Martin made beautifully crafted telescopes, octants, and microscopes, as well as elaborate orreries and planetaria. Trained as an engraver, it is believed that Martin himself engraved some of the plates that illustrated the work."
For all of its age the sheet is in remarkably good condition. The worst of it is creases, the result of folding. I'm pressing the page now, in hopes that some of the curl and crease will subside. Still in all, a notable piece and a lovely gift. Thanks, Will!
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