Unusual and large antique copper engraved plan of Stjerneborg, by Willem Janszoon BLAEU (1571-1638).


Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), lord of Knudstrup, first built the observatory of Uraniborg on the highest point of the island of Huen in the Danish Hellespont, from 1576 to 1580.

Shortly after the beginning of his research work, Brahe found his palate too cramped to contain all his instruments, and the sandy ground on which the palace was built seemed too unstable to guarantee sufficient precision in measurements. He therefore built from 1581 to 1584 at about 75 meters on the south side of Uraniborg an astronomical observatory buried and named the Stjerneborg. The instruments were installed there in underground chambers of which only the roofs, or cupolas, protruded from the ground. This set consisted of multiple small towers whose foundations sank deeply into the ground until reaching the solid and stable rock. The roofs emerging from the ground could be opened, or even completely dismantled to allow for observations. 



In memory to his father who worked with Tycho Brahe in 1595/96, Joan Blaeu had the woodcuts of the buildings and instruments from the "Astronomiae Instauratae Mechina" by Tycho Brahe (Wandsbeck, 1598) copper engraved them 65 years later in order to include them in his Atlas Major. 




Size of the view with margins :  59 x 49 cm / 23,2 x 19,2 inches


Edition : Atlas Major, Amsterdam, 1663, 17th century, French edition.


Condition : very good condition, in colors, very small holes in the upper right and left corners.



Willem Blaeu was the founder of the Blaeu cartography dynasty, the finest mapmakers of the Golden age of Dutch cartography. He studied astronomy with Tycho Brahe at Uraniborg, and moved to Amsterdam to establish a shop in 1605, close his contemporaries and rivals Johannes Janssonius and Jacob Colom. He produced globes at first. Then, the sons of Willem, Johan and Cornelius, joined him in the firm. They produced their first atlas together in 1630 the "Atlas Appendix". Five years later, their produced their "Atlas Novus", edited in 4 languages. After the death of Willem, Joan expanded the Atlas Novus into the Atlas Major, the largest atlas of its time. This edition had between nine and twelve volumes, beautifully engraved and coloured. In 1648, they produced a very large wall world map in 20 parts. And they continued to produce globes too.







WE DON'T SELL LASER AND COPIES MAPS, ALL WE SELL IS ORIGINAL AND ANTIQUE

Due to the age an type of paper, some imperfections are to be expected. Please examine the images provided carefully, and if you have any questions please ask and we will be happy to help you

If you buy more than one item, you have to pay just one only shipping cost. We will send your item by Registered and Insured Airmail or by DHL with covering insurance. Customs may be charged on international shipments. All customs charges are the responsiblity of the buyer and are not included in the selling price.

A Certification of Authenticity can be issued on request.

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